Nacht des Elfen Chors
by Themulchmeister
Summary: A mysterious plague has spread across the sleepy town of Kamakura. The outbreak seems to have spread even across the sea where the Diclonius research facility is stationed. Yes it's Elfen Lied with zombies! The bad just got a whole lot worse!
1. The Elf Sings

_Chapter 1_

It was going to be sore waking up next morning.

Tanaka waved goodbye to his colleagues as he stumbled out of the bar. He spilled some sake on his cream business suit as he swaggered around the narrow and serene streets of Kamakura town. He leaned against a brick wall as he slid towards the end of the block, making his way to the entrance of an even smaller and barely illuminated alley.

"God-damn Tayami, thinks he so fucking great, bet he's ploughing my wife right now." Tanaka murmured as he swayed between the two sides of the small corridor. The ground felt wet, like it had rained for hours. But there was no rain forecast for today, nor was there any hint of precipitation outside the alley. It was also beginning to smell quite foul, as if an animal or a small rodent had died and been left to rot. Whatever, Tanaka was too drunk and eager to get home to worry about such trivial things.

Then a crunching noise could be heard ahead. The noise echoed through the narrow walls and bounced over to Tanaka's position, gnawing away at his eardrums. As he ventured deeper into the darkness the noise seemed to get louder and crisper in tone. Even when he tried to cover his ears the sound was nauseating.

"Ahhhh! What the hell? SHUT UP!" Tanaka smashed his bottle against the wall and panted heavily. It must have worked because the noise had ceased. Two red lights flashed ahead. Tanaka was intrigued by the small red lanterns and swaggered on forward, like a moth attracted to a flame. He still grasped the jagged neck of the bottle as he inched closer towards this intoxicating light.

The lights soon dimmed and appeared close together and level with each other. They were rubies in the decrepit alley. Tanaka wanted to grab the ruby and hold it in his arms. But he felt something swipe at his hand. The colour of ruby soon oozed out of his right hand.

"What the..." Tanaka was cut off by a loud sound, almost a cross between a hiss and a growl. He staggered backwards and swung his glass weapon in front of him. "Come on ya' creep, I won't let you take my money without a good old fight." He almost brought up his last eight drinks as he finished that sentence. Lurching forward he saw what looked like a bare foot slid out of the pitch black. Though quite inebriated Tanaka had enough wits about him to pull out his phone and shine the bright display screen on the thug, using his makeshift spotlight to reveal the thug.

However it wasn't a thug. It was only a small girl, maybe only 4 or 5 years old with short messy hair. The torch attacked the girls eyes with sheer brightness, making the red orbs in her eyes glimmer like small red suns.

There wasn't anything particularly odd about this girl, she might have run away from home recently. That would explain her tattered clothes which resembled something akin to a potato bag. She was dirty as well, mud had mixed with food and human waste. There was also a tinge of crimson around the edge of her mouth.

"What's the matter with you little girl?" Tanaka lowered himself so he could be level with the rather vague looking child. She kept muttering something faint from her tiny mouth.

"Chi...Chi...Chi...Chi...Chi..."

Tanaka tilted his head in confusion. "What the hell is wrong is you? Are you autistic or something?" And as he reverted back to his drunkard mood he pushed the poor girl aside and carried on into the dark abyss.

Until he kicked something hard on the ground. The rotten smell had reached unbearable levels now. Tanaka had to cover his mouth with his glass hand as he shone his phone light onto the source of the stench. Tanaka kept his mouth covered as he retched over his hand. He would have screamed if his mouth had not been clogged with vomit.

The stench had not come from a dead rat or animal, but a human. The body was missing its head and it's organs had appeared to have been carved out of it's open ribs, spread out like an eagles wings.

Tanaka fell backwards into a puddle. He stared at his hand which was now covered in blood.

"Chi...Chi...Chi...Chi...Chi" The girl's voice was faint but eerily frightening as if she was calling out a chant.

"Oh my god! This can't be happening!" The drunk man whined. The slapping footsteps of the girl had returned. He swirled around and shone the light on the girls face, which had now contorted into something far from human. Tanaka would only catch a brief glimpse of the arched fangs and dagger claws before life entered a permanent shade of darkness.

…

MEANWHILE

Kurama slammed his fist on the steel table. One of his test subjects had managed to escape the maximum security research facility. He had lost a lot of staff to this escapee but perhaps what was more tragic was the loss of his loyal secretary Kisaragi. He caught his tears of anguish with the valley of his knuckles.

"I won't forgive you for this...I swear when I find you...I'll end your sad little life." He grit his teeth and sunk his head into his arms.

After a few hours of self-loathing Kurama heard a knock at the door. "Go away...I am not interested in any affairs right now." The knocking – well the thud – came again. "I said not now!" The loud thud continued until Kurama rose from his chair and wrenched open the door.

"I'm not in the mood for-" Kurama noticed one of his fellow aides was slouched forward. When Kurama stepped out of the doorway the man collapsed forward as if death had stuck him at that instant.

"Isobi what are you doing?" Kurama was annoyed rather than shocked at his fellow coworker's condition. After seeing so many gruesome deaths, he was probably not open for practical jokes. He nudged the man's side with his foot. When he rolled over he revealed crimson eyes. Kurama jumped back as the man lunged with his hands aimed for his supervisor's neck.

"Isobi...What have you done to yourself? I demand you release me now!" Kurama struggled to breath as his glasses became foggy with the man's animalistic panting. Kurama felt around his pocket and produced a small handgun. He pressed it against Isobi's chest and fired. The strange man flew across the room and landed awkwardly against the back wall. Kurama caught his breath and wiped his glasses. When his vision cleared he discovered a line of blood had slashed it's way across the ceiling and dripped into the ground, indicating the bloody extent of his point black range shot.

As Kurama was about to return the gun to it's holster the man slowly sat up, revealing the sinister face of someone possessed.

"Im-possible!" Kurama aimed his gun at the man he could no longer identify as Isobi. He was now a monster, just like the monsters he had to study at this research facility. Isobi snarled at his superior revealing a set of ravenous fangs. Just as he was about to clamp his jaws on Kurama he fired another bullet into his stomach. The man only staggered slightly but he continued his advance. Another round and another, seemingly useless in stopping this menace until.

BANG. Kurama managed to pierce a hole straight through the man's forehead. The beast jerked his head for a moment until he slumped forward, thick tarry blood spilling out of the cavity in his skull.

Kurama dropped his weapon and slid to the floor, staring in awe at his dead colleague, his murdered colleague.

_Whatever that thing was, it was not Isobi, something had taken him over..._


	2. Cloud of Death

_Chapter 2_

_#Today's forecast is for clear skies and a comfortable 23 degrees.# _Kouta always started the day with a warm mug of black coffee and a good dose of Mayuki Sasume the gorgeous weather lady from channel 37.

"Stop dreaming pal!" Yuka patted the top of Kouta's head like a stubborn puppy. She was Kouta's cousin and had recently moved in with Kouta at the Maple Inn, a secluded house on the top of the ranges.

"Why must you always shatter my fantasies Yuka?" Kouta whined as he fixed up his short crop of black hair.

"Because we have to live in this shitty place called the 'real world'" Yuka stuffed an array of pens and books into a rather bloated schoolbag. She flicked back her short brown hair and smiled. "Well we better get off to school then!"

"Please don't call it that, we are in uni now." Kouta continued his sullen attitude.

"Whatever, we're still learning aren't we?" Yuka gave a comical wink and grabbed the door ready to lock it as they left the traditional Japanese style building.

Kouta's shoes scraped with each step as they descended the long flight of stairs through the forest."You know, if you had paid more attention to the news today there was a pretty grim murder reported last night."

"I dunno why people like listening to such depressing things first thing in the morning." Yuka huffed.

"Well you said we need to live in the 'real world' right? Well bad things happen in the real world and it's important we-"

"Blah blah blah...hehehe." Yuka giggled in a cutesy schoolgirl kinda way. She could always make Kouta do whatever she wanted by making that sound.

"They couldn't even identify the body." Kouta continued anyway, somehow immune to the girl's spell. "Apparently another person went missing that night as well."

"Come on Kouta, stop talking about such dreary things. We can't all feel sad for a poor bloke that got killed when we don't even know them."

Yeah but..." Kouta gave up. He knew he shouldn't let the slightest hint of bad news bother him. But ever since his father and younger sister died in a tragic accident, he had always felt uneasy about the thought of death and dying. Some poor kid is going to wake up without a mother or father now.

…

KAMAKURA UNIVERSITY

"So as you can see from what we've gathered here, our valid conclusion would be that the mitochondria is indeed the site of maternal inheritance..." Kouta kept drifting in and out of his lesson, trying to pay attention. However the news still lurked inside his thoughts.

_They said someone linked to the crime was believed to be missing. What if that person is still roaming around? The indecent wasn't far from here either...What if we encounter him on the way home? What if he butchers me – or Yuka for that matter – in the same way he butchered that poor guy?_

"Kouta!" Yuka whispered urgently. She pointed with her eyes in front of Kouta. The professor was standing quite forebodingly over him.

"So what's the answer Kouta?"

The whole class was gawking at the dumbfounded young man. He laughed nervously then tried to think of something. "Uh...Photosynthesis..."

The scruffy looking professor smiled. "Thank you Kouta..." Then he proceeded to continue his lecture as he strolled further down the classroom.

"Phew..." Kouta crashed his head into the table exhausted.

"What's up with you today Kouta, you're not usually out of it this much." Yuka always felt she needed to look after poor Kouta. 'How would the poor guy cope without me around', she would always say to herself.

Kouta chuckled nervously. "I'm fine, I think it might be the air-conditioning or something hahaha."

Meanwhile in the preparation room a pretty young female assistant was busy unpacking a box of new ingredients and concoctions.

She hummed innocently to herself as she studied the contents inside each box. Soon she came across a much smaller delivery package with the words FRAGILE stamped all over it. She gently lifted out a small foam storage container, she winced at how cold it felt. The foam made squeaked as she lifted open the lid and revealed a single agar plate with a purple surface.

"Hmm...Did the professor order this?"

… 

Kurama was summoned by Chief Director Kakuzawa. The ageing ruler of the research facility had his back turned when Kurama entered.

"Um...Excuse me Chief but I believe you wished to see me."

Kakuzawa wiped his hand over his slick grey hair and turned to face his subordinate. "Ahh Director Kurama, how is the Diclonii research progressing?"

Kurama adjusted his spectacles. "It has been rather slow lately. Ever since Isobi's indecent all employees have been working under strict quarantine conditions.

"I see. How about the retrieval of the 'Queen Bee'?"

"Again, our priorities have deviated somewhat since-"

Kakuzawa cut him off swiftly. "Capturing Lucy is our first task! I have no time to waste with a flu outbreak."

"But Chief this was anything but a normal Flu. The host had become possessed by the virus almost like a..." Kurama stopped himself. There was already enough superstition in his world having to deal with Diclonius let alone...

"I would rather not have to call you up here again to repeat myself, make sure Lucy is captured, she is absolutely crucial to our research."

Kurama nodded as he flicked up his glasses once more. "Of course Chief."

…

The professor wiped his brow as he retreated to his preparation room. "Boy what a day...I dunno about you Arisawa but I could sure do with a shoulder massage."

The young assistant returned from storage room. "Soon I'l have to earn a double salary for this..." She sighed as she began flexing her fingers around the scientist's broad shoulders. "By the way there was a strange specimen that came in today. Do you think they might have gotten the wrong address?"

Kakuzawa leaned back and closed his eyes in pleasure. "Oh...your so wonderful Arisawa, let's swap one day and let my hands do their magic."

"Stop ignoring me I'm serious." Arisawa groaned as she threw back her sheet ponytail.

"Okay let me see it then." The professor twirled around on his chair and faced the desk. Arisawa placed the foam container in front of him and opened the lid to reveal the agar plate inside.

Arisawa gasped when she discovered something. "Hold on, it wasn't like that a few hours ago. The pathogen must have grown, or evolved...but how-"

"Who's it from?" The professor spoke more sternly as he peered inside the container.

Arisawa scrambled around for the bx it came in. "Um let's see...To Professor Kakuzawa from Director Kurama."

"Hmph...So it has spread already..." Kakuzawa smiled in a shadowy manner.

"What was that?" Arisawa moved her face away from the box.

"Oh nothing...Nothing at all my love..."

…

Yuka and Kouta finished class early. They decided to take a walk through the city to grab some lunch.

"Hmm...I could go for some Chinese right now!" Yuka beamed.

"No, I hate foreign food. Let's just find some sushi." Kouta poked his head through the bustling crowd. "Huh? That's strange..."

Yuka peered over Kouta's shoulder. "What is it?"

The crowd had formed a circle around someone. A man in a dirty old trenchcoat was swaggering with his arms swaying loosely like an ape. Some people started murmuring in the crowd.

"This guy's a total drunk..."

"What the hell's wrong with him?"

Then. "Hey you're that guy that went missing right?" A young man approached the drunkard. The drunkard lifted his gaze to reveal blood coloured eyes. His face was wretched, scraps of flesh were missing across his cheeks and forehead. The man shifted forward for a closer look but the oddity lowered it's jaw, stretching and breaking it's greenish flesh and forming a web of saliva between his teeth.

The jaws clamped down on fresh meat.

"GAAAGGHHH!" An excruciating wail echoed through the crowd as the man tried to free himself from the monster's bite. The man's girlfriend came over and began hitting the beast on the back of it's head. He threw the man to the ground and moved on to his second course, digging his canines into the sweeter flesh of a young woman. Her screams were much higher in pitch and much more painful to hear.

Blood sprayed itself across the front rows of the crowd. The drama was now turning into a deadly risk. Now was the time for complete panic. Most of the crowd decided to abandon the poor couple and flee. However Kouta and Yuka were among some unfortunate few who were becoming trapped between the flock of terrified citizens rushing in countless directions. People were getting trampled and injured as the most desperate used dirty tactics to get as far away from the cannibal as possible.

Yuka was barged by one such person and began to fall. Kouta caught her arm before she fell. "Are you okay?" Yuka nodded slightly as she turned her focus ahead. The monster was eyeing the two of them as he swam through the sea of people. He swiped a few around to cut a path through the crowd but now it seemed he was getting picky about who's next on the menu.

Kouta hugged Yuka tightly as they knew they were finished.

…

The sand was soft and wet, rubbish was scattered among the stretch of what was once a pristine yellow beach. A young girl with short black hair was searching the variety of crumpled containers in search for any food for herself and her small puppy companion.

The puppy yapped loudly as it reached towards the girl. "Oh come now Wanta, I'm sure we'll find some food tomorrow." She picked up her tiny friend and was about to retreat to the pier where her shelter was until...

"Um...I'm sorry Miss, are you lost or something?" She faced a small naked girl with short pink hair. Her flesh was dry and her hands were like bones. Her expression was blank. "My name's Mayu, would you like to come back with me, maybe I can find you some clothes."

The mysterious child's eyes glowed red like fire. She opened her mouth revealing a set of fanged teeth. Saliva trailed down her teeth as she lowered her head over Mayu's exposed legs.

Mayu began trembling. "Uh...What are you-" A plume of sand rose over the two children. Mayu fell back but still held Wanta safely within her grasp. The other child cowered as she tried to find her prey.

"Don't move little girl." A deeper voice arrived from behind Mayu. Mayu faced another much older woman with pink hair who was also naked, and who also displayed a pair of bony protrusions on her head.


	3. Strings of a Puppet

_Chapter 3_

"Damn son of a bitch! What's your problem?" A large burly man, possibly an ex-marine was now grappling with the monster.

Yuka and Kouta were too terrified too say or do anything. Fear had locked them together.

"Well don't just stand there, get- AARRRGGHH!" The superhuman creature sunk his teeth into the man's arms biting a huge chunk out.

"H-h-h-h-holy Fuck!" Kouta's skin turned a milky white as did Yuka. As blood splattered across Kouta's face, a chapter in his life that he should have kept locked away forever, had now been re-awoken.

_Father...Kanae...They were..._

"Come on Yuka, we have to get out of here!" Something had triggered him to respond. Now they were finally fleeing, fleeing towards the memories of the horrid and truly tragic past.

…

The two pink haired demons stared down each other for a deathly anxious three minutes before one of them spoke.

"What do you think your doing? What is your reason for coming here, contaminating these humans with your impure genes?"

The demon with blood-filled eyes chuckled in an eerie manner. "What's the matter Lucy? Can't you accept a new path in the evolution of our mighty species?"

Mayu turned back to the one named Lucy. "You are not of my species, you are just an inferior clone. A filthy pathogenic prototype if you might ask."

"HAHAHAHA!" The other monster child laughed wickedly. "Inferior? Let's just see which one of us is really 'inferior'?" The sand whisked around the two rivals as they engaged in a strange type of combat. None of them seemed to draw close to their opponent but it was more of a constant standoff between the two. They hovered around Mayu, the air seemed to vibrate and sounds of slicing swords could be heard. But with no weapons, who or what could possibly be creating such strange sounds.

"You're in the way child!" Mayu was lifted by this invisible force and thrown far away from the melee into the forest. Her scream trailed across the beach as she flew a hundred metres high into the heavens. She could feel herself flying and for that brief period she felt at peace.

But there was a long hard descent before her now.

"AAAAGGGGGHHHH!" The hard earth was rushing towards her. She would leave this world behind. After such an unfortunate childhood, perhaps she thought this was the best way to go.

However she was not feeling death's touch, but rather the touch of an angel. She was floating again, this time hovering along the grass, gently brushing past the trees until she delicately felt her feet touch ground once again.

Mayu was gasping in shock and awe at what she had just experienced. She had both died and lived in one breathtaking moment. She was now truly ALIVE.

"Are you okay? I hope your not hurt at all." The soothing voice of a girl, possibly not much older than Mayu pushed her way through the scrub. She wore a neat black dress and wore a purple ribbon in her pink hair. "The monsters can't hurt you anymore. You're safe with Nana."

…

Yuka and Kouta were running away from death itself. That creature was certainly no longer human, they had already came to that conclusion. But could monsters really exist in this peaceful village town?

"Where are we going Kouta?" Yuka cried out to her cousin between ragged breaths. They both slowed to a brisk walk when they realised something terribly peculiar.

"Where is everyone?" Crowds were scrambling around the streets just not long ago. Suddenly everyone had disappeared. Maybe they had retreated into their homes. Cars were parked in the middle of the road as if people had decided to leave them their and flee. The market stalls were as deserted as a ghost town.

Kouta and Yuka searched the empty streets for about thirty minutes until.

"I hear footsteps..." Kouta grabbed Yuka by the hand and walked over towards the corner of a lane which ran off the main street. Shadows were worming their way through the lane and poured into the streets like dark blood. As the footsteps came closer they could hear crunching, wet noises.

Kouta darted across so he could face the shadows, waving his arms over his head. "Hey we need your...help..." Kouta's arms drooped to his sides as if they had gone limp as a...

"Kouta what's going..." Yuka's voice trailed when she could see them. Trudging slowly with blood and flesh dribbling down their chin. Piercing red eyes, void of any humanity.

Kouta slowly wrapped his arms around Yuka and whispered very faintly.

"_RUN..."_

They both slid their feet back and began sprinting into another corner street. However another dozen of these monsters were already making their way up. They back tracked and decided to go for the side street – no good! The other side street...

"This cannot be happening..." Kouta and Yuka were surrounded by a horde of these inhuman creatures. Scraping their shins and rotting flash along the ground, edging closer to the two fresh prey by the second. Moving more like a pulsating wave than as individuals. Yuka and Kouta were finished.

"I can't stand to watch." Yuka closed her eyes and huddled her head into Kouta's chest.

Kouta gazed on in paralysed disbelief. "Im-possible! A dream! This is all a really bad dream isn't Yuka, and as soon as you say 'yes' we'll both wake up and be back in the Inn, safe and happy please say yes Yuka, say it is all a dream and free us from this horror."

But they both knew this was definitely not a dream. You can't experience the smell of decaying flesh and the feeling of cold dead hands reaching up your legs.

"AAAGGGHHHH!" Kouta's scream was so intense it must have blown the creatures head into pieces. At least that's what he thought at first.

Another boom followed by another bone ripping explosion. The monsters were being mowed down from one side. Soon they discovered a man's head bobbing through the crowd. The man drew a large hand gun and pressed it to the back of a monster's head, breaking it apart like a huge watermelon.

"Holy shit it's that man who saved us earlier!" Kouta and Yuka both beamed in a revived sense of hope that hey could escape from this hell alive.

"DIE SON'S A BITCHES DIE!" The man almost appeared to be laughing behind the slick hair and glasses. He seemed to be getting a real thrill out of blasting these...'humans'...brains out. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Kouta was unsure who was the bigger monster now. The monsters were confused now, Kouta saw this as their chance to escape once again. But Yuka held back firm.

"Yuka why!" He yelled with urgency.

"What are going to do, just run away into another crowd of those 'things'? We must stay with this man!" Kouta could not believe the rationale of what she was proposing. But then again perhaps she had the right idea, as cold-blooded this gun-ho commando appeared, he had saved them twice now and so was their only real chance now.

After emptying his entire clip into a dozen more monsters the man turned around and finally acknowledged the two other genuine humans in the crowd. "Yo! You guy's know how to use a gun?"

"W-W-What!" Kouta stammered at the man's odd greeting.

The commando snapped in anger. "We'll answer the fucking question short-stuff! You too miss piggy!"

"My name is Yuka and this man here is-" Yuka was swiftly cut off by the larger adult.

"I don't care if your name is fucking queen of shit, do you twerps know how to use one of these or not?" He quickly pulls out a slightly smaller handgun and throws it to Kouta.

"I-I don't understand...what is happening here?"

The man grinded his teeth before driving the back of his elbow into an oncoming creature. "You pair are just gonna weigh me down now! Gimme that!" He quickly yanked the gun out of Kouta's trembling hands.

"How can you ask us to use a weapon to kill other people?" Kouta pleaded with the bulky man. He obviously wasn't the kind who sympathised with pacifists.

After clubbing his handgun into another few creatures he retorted. "You trying to tell me these motherfuckers are 'people', you two really are screwed now." He clicked his gun before firing another few rounds into the next wave of creatures.

"They have to be...how can you justify murdering these people? They must have been...once..." Kouta stopped when even he realised the futility of his logic. Though they appeared to be human, they were way beyond humanity now. These foul bloodthirsty creatures were akin to mere animals.

"Come on you pair of hippies, let's get the fuck out of here!" The man led the way through the open streets, shooting down any wandering beast that may appear out of the side streets. Soon they reached a small Cafe which appeared to have been as abandoned as the rest of the city.

Do you we think we should check if someone's there?' Kouta was answered went astray as the man slammed the site of his fist into the glass, shattering pieces of glass into his hand as if he had done this thing a hundred times before. Maybe he was a Hollywood stuntman.

As the three of them made their way into the cafe they had the chance to take a break and get to introduce themselves formally.

"I'm Kouta and this is Yuka." The two uni students studied their protector carefully. He wore an army fatigue patterned tanktop underneath his brown jacket. His hair was shorter than Kouta's – ahem – hair. He also wore heavy duty boots and long black pants.

They also noticed he was missing a significant portion of his arm, his sleeve was torn back and used as a makeshift bandage.

"Oh my God your arm!" Yuka leaned over to check his wound. They remembered him fighting off that other man and his arm being chewed apart so easily.

The man smirked and shrugged off his injury. "Hah! What of it? I still have an arm so its no big deal." The man sat on the counter's bench and smiled. "In this new world, your gonna have to think of a chunk of flesh as a mosquito bite. This is no time for college debates this shit is really taking over now."

Kouta was again confused. "What are you talking about? What's taking over?"

The man leaned closer and peeled back his shades. "Well since we've become acquainted let me just introduce myself: Bando's the name and starting today I'm the official asskicker of Zombies."


	4. Walking Dead

_Chapter 4_

"Where are we going Nana?" Mayu was following the mysterious pink haired child into the forest. The shrubs and branches seemed to arch back as Nana advanced, as if she were pushing back the bushes with a pair of invisible arms.

"We'll be safer here." Nana and Mayu reached a small clearing in the woods. A set of stone stairs followed up to a set of gravestones.

"A cemetery? I dunno Nana, maybe we shouldn't hang around here."

"What's a cemetery?" Nana was confused, not quite familiar with the world outside of her lab. "Never-mind, we should seek shelter from the monsters."

"What monsters!" Mayu shrieked. "Oh my God! Where's Wanta?" Mayu suddenly realised she had lost her friend back at the beach. "We have to go back!"

Nana grabbed her new friend's shoulder. "Are you insane? Lucy is fighting another of my kind down there, I saw you earlier. You would be running back into danger if you go back there."

"B-but Wanta..." Mayu began sobbing. She was never separated from her friend until today. She would be devastated if something were to happen to the poor puppy. "Please we have to-"

"Shhh..." Nana brought a finger to Mayu's lips. "I sense something..." Nana stepped in front of Mayu and scanned her surrounds. Old, cracked stones were placed across the clearing. Some were covered in moss and weeds indicating their age. "I'm sure I hear groaning noises in the bushes."

Mayu could hear them too. "What is it?" Mayu just hoped it wasn't the 'monsters'.

Continued groans, dragging, piercing the air. Mayu's ears were aching. The sound of a dying soul, the pain was unbearable. What could possibly be creating such a noise?

Nana braced herself for the monsters. She could hear them getting closer, they must be only a couple of metres away. Their cries were shaking the very earth.

Suddenly Mayu shuddered when she realised...

The sounds were coming from below the very graves!

"WATCH OUT!" Mayu pushed Nana over before a bony hand could reach her from below. The hand pulled itself up revealing a horrid, undead corpse.

"MONSTERS!" Nana shielded Mayu as she held back the monster's weight. She sliced the monster's arms apart with an invisible cutting force. The monster persisted, snapping it's jaws towards Nana as it lunged forward.

"AGGGHHH!" Mayu stumbled away as more and more dead clawed their way back up from the surface. This is not what is supposed to be...The dead's souls should carry over to the next world...So how could this be happening!

"Mayu Run!" Nana fended off a group of undead. Mayu was astonished at her combat ability. She seemed to magically cut apart these monsters with sheer will. What possible power could Nana possess?

"I can't! I must stay with you!" Mayu pleaded.

"Please run away from this place! I promise I will find you again." Nana continued ripping apart the walking dead. It seemed the only way they truly remained dead was after the head was separated from the body.

Mayu nodded sharply then fled for her dear life into vthe bowels of the forest. Tears stung the corner of her eyes as she brushed her way through the heavy scrub. Unfortunately she didn't have the ability to clear a path of bush like Nana. She held back the pain as her clothes and flesh were being torn by the jagged shrubs.

_Nana...Wanta...What is happening? Why can't everything just go back to normal...? Why am I running from monsters? None of this is real..._

Mayu kicked her foot against a rock and fell forwards. Her face crashed into a muddy puddle. She was breathing rapidly, her heart was pounding out of it's chest. She heard a footstep nearby. Wiping the dirt out of her face she quickly discovered her horrors had returned.

"NANA!"

…

"Zombies?" Kouta didn't believe the ridiculous term at first.

Bando was wiping his gun. "Don't you get it kid? Those bastards out there are already dead. They got infected after being bitten by one another. It spread like AIDS and now the whole fucking place is crawling with 'em."

"But what could have caused this to happen?" Yuka said.

"Probably some sort of virus or something. That's usually how this sort of shit starts up. Some creep in a white coat sprays a vial of some virus into the air and soon everyone is infected."

"I'm just glad you were there to save us back there. What brought you down here anyway?" Kouta wondered.

"Well I was down here to meet some guys in this offshore research facility. Some crazy chicks with strange powers had just escaped and needed to be eliminated. I'm sure my buddies at the S.A.T should be coming down here with reinforcements soon enough. This shit's bound to be big news."

"What if they don't come? What if we're left for the undead?"

Bando piled a fresh clip of ammunition into his gun. "Well we'll just have to kill as many goddamn zombies as we can until then."

…

The virus had overwhelmed the research facility in no time. Even with the sterile ventilation system and seal-proof doors. The pathogens seemed to find their way into the entire facility. It seemed as if the only ones safe from this virus were the one in total isolation from the general staff – the Diclonius.

Kuruma walked the empty corridors with a gas mask. He held his pistol to his shoulders ready to stop any unwarranted company.

_What kind of virus has struck the facility? It is none that I have ever come across before. I'm glad Nana's safe. I hope this has only affected the facility. If I can reach the mainland..._

"GRAGH!" An infected person crawled around the corner with savage red eyes. Kurama pierced a bullet into his blood eyes, the only know cure for the disease.

"Dammit..." Kurama discovered four more of his former staff, gnawing and munching away at another man in the next room. He closed the door and moved on, hoping to save his bullets only when necessary.

After passing a few more narrow corridors and walking over a few odd limbs and piles of guts here and there he soon found his way to the large exit door. A helicopter should be there waiting for him.

"Where are you going Kuruma? You have a job here don't you remember?" Kuruma turned to face his boss, looking more sickly and bloodthirsty than the real monsters.

"Chief Kakuzawa." Kuruma spoke bluntly.

"It seems I was gravely mistaken about the Diclonius species." A wrinkly old grin crept up of the Cheif's Director's face. "How marvelous the evolutionary tree has grown..."

"What are you inferring chief?" Kuruma was unsure of his superiors intentions.

"This is evolution in action my dear Kuruma. This virus which has spread across Kamakura. Don't you see? We are witnessing a new age of humanity!"

"I don't think I can agree with you sir. The virus has obviously been created by an employee here under unauthorised conditions and allowed it to spread throughout the compound."

"Ahh! But you see the virus is nothing unlike our human viruses. The pathogen possesses the very cells of its host and alters the genetic code in a way that renders life to once dead tissue."

"I must contact the Military, we will need to seal off this entire island as well as the town."

"I will have none of that my friend..." Kakuzawa seemed to lower his voice like a demon. "You see, this is my species new weapon in eradicating the filthy inferior humans that wlk upon this corrupt earth." The mad old Chief slid of his hair piece to reveal two small bony growths in his hair.

"So you're one of them?" Kuruma was ready to raise his weapon, not content with saving the life of his employer now that he realises he is the very thing he hates the most.

"Hah! You dare to raise your weapon at me? How disrespectful of you Director Kuruma..." Kakuzawa pulled out his own gun and shot Kuruma in the left shoulder.

"Agh!" Kuruma fell to one knee, gripping his bloody shoulder. Kakuzawa slowly paced towards him.

"My son will be making his way here shortly. He is planning on replicating the virus and spreading it to other nearby cities. Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo. I was willing to let you witness this evolution with me but now that I believe I'll leave you here to perish with the other hosts." Kakazawa pressed a code into the control panel. The doors slowly pulled apart revealing the helipad. Kakuzawa's son was was waiting nearby alongside a young woman and another three men.

"Kakuzawa...you...BASTARD!" Kuruma tightened his grip around his arm. Unable to stem the flow of blood.

"Hello Kuruma, how's life been at the research facility?" Kakuzawa junior waved mockingly to his former college classmate. "Do you still treat that Number Seven like your daughter? I'm yet to see the virus' effects on Diclonii, maybe you can offer me a report one day on that. Anyway goodbye for now." As the group made their way into the helicopter Kakuzawa continued waving to his fallen friend as the chopper made it's way across the sea and into safety.

Kuruma limped out to the helipad and fired a few shots, hoping to hit the helicopter but knowing it was useless to waste bullets. Defeated, he slumped to the ground, loosely holding his gun which held only a few more rounds.

_Nana...I'm sorry...but I don't think we'll be meeting again..._

As the horde of the possessed made their way through the corridors, clawing past the exit. Kuruma threw of his gas mask and made sure his glasses were straight.

"I won't let you parasites take over my body...Kakuzawa, I swear on my life, I will stop you..."


	5. The Sun Dies

_Chapter 5_

It wasn't long before the horde of undead found Bando and the other's hideout. After a brief nap Yuka was alerted by the agonising moans of the reanimated corpses.

"Kouta! Bando!" They both rose to their feet. Bando was already prepared and unleashed a clip of ammo into the first wave of zombies.

"We can't stay here any longer!" Kouta tried piecing together the situation. One moment everything was calm, the next a whole plague of monsters were on their toes.

"If we reach the roof then we might be able to escape." Yuka tried to suggest whilst holding back a group of monsters with a broomstick.

"No they'll just trap us up there, we gotta go through 'em." Bando unleashed another few blasts before swiftly reloading. "DIE ZOMBIE FUCKERS!" As if taken straight out of an action movie the mighty Bando charged through the zombie horde punching kicking and shooting their heads off. Acting like an bloodthirsty animal, he was using any means necessary to survive another day. "COME ON GET OVER HERE!" Bando called the two college students over. There was a small path cleared out for them, but soon the monsters would converge and seal the wall shut unless they made a break for it.

"Yuka take my hand." Kouta grabbed her hand and slipped through the narrow corridor of walking dead. Bando was only a few metres away yet he seemed to be an unreachable distance from them. Kouta was pushed to the ground by one of the undead. Yuka lost her grip and was caught between the crowd.

"KOUTA!" Her screams were concealed by the wall of death.

"YUKA!" Kouta had to reach his cousin, he could not let her die in such a way. Now was the time to stand up and become a hero. As one of the inhuman creatures bent over to savour Kouta's flesh he stuck his thumb deep into the creature's pustulent eye. Pinkish white liquid with the consistency of toothpaste oozed out of the creature before it jerked it's body a couple of times and slumped forward, dead for good. Three more monsters were about to crowd over Kouta, he bunched his fists and knocked each of the sluggish opponents over. It may not damage their brain enough to kill them but it would at least help him reach Yuka.

"Kouta take this!" Bando managed to reach the other side of the crowd, he threw a small black pistol to Kouta who caught it gently in his hands. He pressed the barrel onto a zombies forehead and fired, the recoil shocked him at first but he was able to recover. He quickly whirled on his feet and fired the weapon into another three monsters, sending their wretched bodies to oblivion. He soon got a little thrill each time he fired until he realised something...

The bullets inevitably run empty.

"Shit!" Kouta cursed as he was soon surrounded by more of them. He could still hear Yuka's screams from a short distance away. He used his small gun as a club and bashed his way through the monsters. After knocking down a dozen or so creatures he found Yuka cowering under a few of their legs.

"Kouta..." She whimpered as she extended her hand.

SPLAT. Fresh zombie soup sprayed over Kouta's shoulder. Bando made his way back into the swarm of creatures. "Gotta pay attention short cakes or you'll be zombie-chow." He crashed his elbow into a nearby monster before guiding both poor souls out of the terror they had stumbled upon.

They scurried into another street facing the mountains. "Alright, I think we've lost track of 'em for now."

"Where will we go from here?" Kouta wondered.

Yuka raised a hand. "I think we should hold up in the Maple Inn for a while, it is high enough and secluded enough that they will leave us alone, at least for a little while."

"I agree, we have plenty of food back home, we can stay inside until your S.A.T friends show up."

Bando groaned and shrugged his shoulders. "Well enough chit-chat, let's get our asses over to the Maple Inn."

…

Mayu was covered in rotten smelly blood, the blood of a creature once dead. She shuddered as she faced yet another monster. The woman from the beach had returned. This time she had a wicked smile drawn across her face.

"W-W-What do you want with me Miss...uh..." Mayu crept back until she slipped and fell on her back.

The naked woman's smile disappeared as soon as the creatures remains hit the ground. She stepped over Mayu and stared at her with blank lifeless eyes – nothing like the fiery red eyes of the other monsters.

"Please don't kill me...I beg you m'am please..." Mayu's eyes stung with tears. She clutched her body tightly hoping her death would be swift and painless. Being chopped up into a thousand pieces would surely be a quick enough end, it would just be like being knocked out. Mayu had known what that feeling was like back when she lived with her abusive parents.

After an agonizing minute waiting for the end, Mayu slowly opened her eyes. The woman was already gone. Confused yet relieved she quickly rose to her feet and assessed her surroundings.

_I have to find Nana...Which way did I come from? I must go back and save her...what if that lady wants to hurt Nana instead?_

The wails of a few wandering monsters in the distance ended Mayu's procrastination. "I'm coming Nana!"

…

Before embarking on the forest The trio broke into a nearby hardware store. It didn't supply all your friendly items for a zombie apocalypse but at least Yuka and Kouta could find themselves a useful weapon to fight off any wayward enemies on their journey.

Yuka chose something long that would keep her well away from the monsters, a three pronged hoe which curved around like an eagle's talon. Even she reckoned it would be a rather devastating weapon for plunging into zombie's skulls.

Kouta went for something more practical, since their were no chainsaws in stock he went for the next best thing, a long, slender machete. The blade was as long as his forearm and the handle at least two thirds the size.

Bando scrambled through the storerooms and found a few boxes of ammo. However this was not the type suited for his handgun.

"Heyyy...Good thing we have a duck hunter among our hardware store team." Bando lifted a small rifle and began placing a few bullets inside the firearm. "Not quite my style but what the hell, if it shoots, it shoots."

Hey Bando we have visitors." Kouta's words caught everyone by surprise. They had moved North now, essentially they were being pursued.

"Bastards!" Bando finished loading the rifle and jumped over the counter and outside ready for action. There were at least fifty coming up the road, not as many as before but they were still terribly outnumbered. Bando fired the first shots, knocking down a few of them. The bullets weren't as brain-shattering as his armour piercing bullets but they did the job.

"Oi you guys get moving!" Bando kept a good distance between the zombies whilst the others fled towards the forest. "Come on fellas why don't you offer me a real challenge." Bando either decided to conserve his bullets or just go Rambo on them but soon he started rushing towards them, clubbing them with the butt of the rifle. Crushing noses, flying teeth and mashed heads were the sort of thing that gave this commando a brief thrill in his otherwise drab life.

Meanwhile Kouta and Yuka managed to gain some distance away from the store. They were clambering up a rather steep, bushy hill. The shrubs were cutting their clothing and opening wounds. If these creatures sensed their prey by their blood, they would effectively be swimming with sharks.

"Will Bando be okay?" Yuka spoke with ragged breaths.

"I dunno but we must survive and reach the Maple Inn, that's all that matters for now." Kouta had a newfound sense of assertiveness to his voice. Had the whole realisation of his whole world turning into a zombie apocalypse given him a shake up? Whatever it was, Yuka was starting to admire it.

After a near sprint of a hike, they both needed to rest. The sun was slowly making it's way beneath the oceanic abyss. They both dreaded the coming of nightfall. This may be the last time they ever see the sun and absorb it's warming light.

"Yuka...I'm not sure why all this has happened to us. I wish I could better understand this...I mean, if I knew we were dealing with...these creatures..." Kouta was struggling to find the right words. "What I mean is...I wish I could have been stronger like Bando. He looks like he's dealt with kind of stuff before...But I just wanted to live a peaceful life in the Maple Inn with you...I never asked for this-"

Yuka pressed her fingers to his lips, he went silent and gulped nervously. "It's okay Kouta, I don't think any of us expected this sort of thing to happen, all we can do is fight...together...and just hope there is some sort of Guardian Angel watching over us, ready to save us from this peril."

"Yuka...you're..." Kouta's chest rose.

"I know..." Yuka pursed her lips. After a whole day of nightmarish despair, they could surely enjoy the pleasure of a kiss right?

'They' didn't think so.

A twig breaking in the bushes interrupted the peace before their lips could join. The forest was wailing as a hundred fireflies peered through the scrub, gazing at the two lovers with eyes which peered into the very bowels of hell.

The red lights were ascending the mountain as well. There was no escape from the lanterns of death.

"If we make it out alive I owe you that kiss." Kouta promised Yuka as he gripped his Machete.

"I'll make sure you keep to that promise." Yuka laughed weakly as she held her own weapon defensively.

Kouta laughed. "I just wish I had a clever line to get myself fired up. What do you think Bando would say in a time like this?"

"GET THE FUCK DOWN!"

"What!" Kouta and Yuka crouched to their knees as the forest was ablaze from below. The zombies shrivelled to a crisp in a deafeningly high pitch squeal. From the wall of flames Bando's shadow emerged, two compressed gas tanks were strapped around his back. He also held a large nozzle with a small blowtorch held in the other hand.

"What took you so long?" Kouta was relieved and slightly shocked at what this man's makeshift flame-thrower.

"Good thing I ducked back into the hardware store for some extra supplies." Bando laughed was twisted and maniacal. As scary as he was, they were both grateful he was on their side for now.

A wall of undead now stood between the trio and salvation. There was only one way past this wall and thankfully Bando had the right line ready this time. "I'M HUNGRY FOR SOME ROAST ZOMBIE BRAINS TONIGHT!"


	6. Eye of the Storm

**I would have made this chapter longer but I was keen to update since I've been getting more reviews. So here's the next chapter...Enjoy!**

_Chapter 6_

Hack. Slash. Stab. Burn...Oh and a hell of a lot of that...

"DIE ZOMBIE PIECE OF SHIT!" Bando the commando seemed to gain an insatiable joy out of lighting the forest with the scorching ruins of beings that could once claim to be human.

"Grr...Take that..." Kouta hacked into the shoulder of a ravenous undead. The creature bared a huge set of fanged teeth, seemingly immune to the wound inflicted upon him.

"Kouta...go for the head remember?" Surprising both Kouta and Bando, Yuka seemed to know how to exterminate zombies, wrenching her clawed how deep into the temple one that was nearby. She yanked it out by pushing her foot against it's chest. Using her wild momentum she clamped her clawed staff into another wayward zombie.

"C'mon Kouta, you're girl's showin' you up already. HAHAHAHA" Bando had time to throw an insult before he threw some more heat onto the oncoming creatures.

Three more of them were circling around Kouta. He lashed his machete out on one of them, slicing up his already mangled and rotted face. He staggered back but hit something...Whirling on his feet he discovered a young girl – a grey face with blood splotched around her carnivorous jaw like jam.

"Shit! I can't hurt a child!" Kouta backed away from the child-monster, the other three were eager for dinner.

"Kouta!" Yuka was just managing with her handful of zombies. If only she could break through their ranks and fight by Kouta's side.

Meanwhile Bando was too immersed in his own killing spree to be worried about weak little Kouta.

"Crap! Why the fuck did this have to happen to me?" Kouta was about to admit defeat when.

"Are you okay?" A gentle young voice from behind the suddenly headless zombies. Before Kouta could understand what exactly happened he was approached by a pretty young girl with short pink hair.

"I think so..." Kouta darted over towards her. He suddenly whirled back around. "That little girl...she's-"

"-I know..." The pink-haired child stood calm and firm as the carnivorous child approached, leaping on four feet like a hyena, she would be clamping on their bone any second.

But, as if a force field shielded their body, the girl was ripped apart just as she leapt in mid-air...

"W-what kind of weapon is that?" Kouta wiped bits of little miss zombie off his arms.

"I'll explain later, c'mon let's rescue the others." The mysterious girl sprinted towards Yuka's position. She has already poked some holes into a few zombie brains but was struggling to keep them at bay.

"Yuka!" With a sudden burst in adrenaline Kouta hacked into the head of one zombie as if cutting a watermelon in half. When the new girl approached, half the creatures had already lost all their heads.

"Thanks for saving Kouta and me." Yuka was panting heavily, exhausted and even exhilarated from the slaughter.

"Where's your other friend?" The pink-haired girl scanned the area, only to find a slowly retreating band of undead walking into a raging inferno.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, we should go now." Kouta started heading up towards the mountains.

"Are you sure we shouldn't look for him? He might be outnumbered" The pink-haired girl continued.

"No, he knows where to meet us anyway. Besides I'm sure he'd want us to make a break for it now, right Yuka?"

"Mmm." She nodded sharply as she caught up to Kouta.

Fortunately for the three of them, there didn't seem to be anymore of them as they reached the stairs which eventually led to their house.

"Thank god we made it home! A whole afternoon killing zombies has made me hungry!" Kouta rubs his belly.

"Funny you say that since I nabbed more of 'em than you." Yuka effectively reduced his masculinity in that small statement.

"Hey it's not like we should revel in killing these people anyway." Kouta huffed, suddenly reverting to his usual pacifist nature.

"Well we can hardly call rotting cannibals 'human' now can we?" Yuka argued.

"I think some of Bando's ideals have rubbed onto you already..." Kouta groaned.

"I just hope someone can find a cure before everyone in Japan turns into those monsters..." the pink-haired girl spoke between their bickering.

"What if it's already spread throughout Japan?" Yuka showed a motherly expression of concern. "We may be the only some of a few survivors."

"Well there's only one way to find out." Kouta stabbed a button on the remote control, bringing the TV to life. Surprisingly (or perhaps not so surprisingly), they were welcomed with static.

"Try another station." Yuka urged him. He continued flicking through channels, each new variation of static just dashed their hopes a little more...Until...

A scrambled reception of a young female reporter appeared on the screen. Kouta lunged forward and harassed the TV to produce a clearer picture. Jumping into and out of reception the woman appeared to be in front of a heavy police barricade. A crowd was bunched up behind the police lines. The audio was poor but they could make out some of the words.

_#Police have blocked all entrance...must wait until quarantine measures have...widespread panic and...mysterious virus has spread across...underlying causes unknown but investigators wish to speak to this man...#_

The feed cuts to a grainy black and white photo of two science graduates. One of them has short black hair and a some stubble underneath his jawline, the other one had similar hair but appeared more neat than the other man. The second man also wore a thin set of glasses.

Everyone gasped simultaneously. "Professor Kakuzawa!" Yuka and Kouta recognised their Biology teacher in the shot, even though he must have only been their age at the time.

"No..." They both looked at the pink-haired girl who was shaking her head slowly. "Papa would never do such a thing...I just know it..."

"Papa?" Kouta and Yuka were confused. "Do you know our professor?"

The girl wiped a few tears from her pale face. "I don't know what you're talking about...I just can't believe they would blame Papa for the monsters."

"Maybe she means the guy with glasses." Kouta reckons.

The pink-haired girl nods weakly. "Papa took great care of Nana back in the facility, he would never do something like that."

"Facility?" Yuka raised an eyebrow.

"Ahhhh!" The young girl shuddered as if she had committed a terrible crime. "Nana shouldn't have said that! Why did Nana say that? Oh no!" She quickly ran her fingers through her hair, accidentally tugging free the ribbon which once hid her true identity.

Yuka and Kouta's expressions were almost as frozen as death. The pink haired girl displayed two large bony growths from her head much like little horns.

"Nana...are you..." Kouta wasn't sure what to say, unsure whether he might offend or anger the strange girl.

"Please don't hurt me!" Nana collapsed to her knees. "Nana promises she won't hurt you, I'm not like the others, please trust me, I'll do anything for you."

"What others? What are you talking about Nana?" Yuka knelt down and gave Nana a reassuring hug. "We're certainly not gonna hurt you, where did you get that outrageous idea?"

Nana pressed her wet face into Yuka's shoulder. "The other men in coats always wanted to hurt Nana. The other men always hurt Nana and the others, just because we have horns."

"Don't worry Nana, those men can't hurt you anymore, c'mon I'll make you a nice warm bath." Yuka took helped Nana to her feet and showed her to the bathroom. "Kouta, could you make us something nice while I take care of Nana?"

Kouta was still paralysed with shock. He felt like he had seen those horn somewhere before but it was aching his brain just thinking about it. His expression worried Yuka who shouted back to him. "Arre you alright! Kouta!"

Kouta seemed to quickly snap out of his brief trance. "Yeah I'm okay, just a bit exhausted 'is all." Kouta was about to enter the kitchen when he realised the TV was still on. The reporter seemed a bit more agitated than before. She kept looking over her shoulder, receiving instructions from police and other soldiers nearby. After a few seconds of whisking her head back and forth she suddenly instructs the cameraman to step back. Suddenly the feed goes blank for a moment before crunching back into anarchy. The mass crowd has pierced through the barricade like a burst pipe, only it seems the people rushing through, attacking and biting the riot squad, are no longer 'people.'

_#Oh my God! They've just broken through the police blockade...many thousands!...no longer safe!...Run for your lives-AAAGGGHHHHH!_

_..._

Kouta had seen these kind of cheesy films before, where a mutating virus or some kind of alien or zombie infestation takes over and the TV crew inevitably wind up covering the last footage of their lives before the screen enters a long and eerie static...However witnessing the death of someone in such a horrible way in real life was quite different. He couldn't laugh at the cliched scenario or the predicable outcome...He could only ponder how long it would take before everyone in Japan - maybe even the entire world – would succumb to this...Even calling them 'zombies' seemed to trivialise the situation too much...These people are victims of a man-made virus, they didn't choose to be like this...But what choice did Kouta and the others really have now? At this point in time, it would be fight or die! As much as Kouta objected the killing of another human being, he would need to find the courage to slice open another skull or splatter another brain. For he ultimately knew if he didn't, he would die...or worse...

…

MEANWHILE

Bando found himself further down the mountain, he had burned a large trail into the forest, burning away any of the zombie's chance for another meal. He dropped the tanks and torch now that they were exhausted of fuel, but slinging the canisters over his shoulder triggered a throbbing pain in his right arm. Noticing it was the same arm which was bitten only a few hours ago he lifted back the sleeve of his jacket and discovered the flesh around the wound was already looking worse than the faces of these monsters. The forearm was swollen and formed a ring of purplish-black flesh around the bite mark. The veins of his arm were throbbing and the skin around them was covered in green and yellow sores.

"Fuckin' great..." The lone warrior cursed to himself. "I swear to god if I become one of them...I'll shoot my own goddamn brains out one ear..."


	7. Blood and Fire

_Chapter 7_

"What's the matter Kouta?" Yuka came out from the bathroom now wearing a fresh jumper and trousers. She was still drying Nana's pink hair as she trailed out of the hallway.

Kouta had already turned the TV off, there was no longer any point listening to mind-numbing static. "I think this virus might be worse than we originally thought."

Yuka gasped. "Have the zombies reached Tokyo?"

"I'm nor sure, but it may well be soon if not already..." Kouta rested the remote on the coffee table. "Perhaps our only chance will be if we can flee offshore."

"Nana knows a place where we can hide from the monsters." The horned girl raised an enthusiastic hand. Yuka must have helped cheer her up about her abnormality. "We can go back to where Papa and the rest of my kind live."

Kouta and Yuka both shared uneasy expressions. "Isn't that where the ecological research facility is located?" Kouta turned to Yuka. "I'm pretty sure our Professor mentioned that place to us in one of his lectures. He could have produced that virus there..."

"Or perhaps even a cure as well..." Yuka suggested optimistically.

"Even if the island has a cure, how can we possibly reach it. It's at least five kilometres offshore."

"Don't worry, Papa's men will come and rescue us, I just know it!" Nana seemed hopeful of her papa's return.

Yuka shrugged her shoulders and turned to Kouta. "Well we can only last here for so long before our food runs out."

Kouta brought a hand to his chin. "We'll sleep on it tonight – we need some rest after such a horrible day. Then we'll pack some food and supplies and make for the shore. We'll take our next step from there."

"Sounds good to me." Yuka beamed with hope. "C'mon Nana I'll show you to your bed."

As nightfall encroached the Maple Inn, Kouta paced the living room, the moonlight glaring against his wrecked face. He had to prove himself to both Yuka and Nana that he could lead and formulate a plan form survival. If he could not match Bando in strength and courage, he could at least demonstrate a quick intellect and responsiveness to the looming disaster which had corrupted his sleepy town.

…

Mayu shivered as she slowly made her way through the cold dark forest. Her thin ragged sweater and barely visible shorts were not the most snug attire she could find. She could hear the howls of rabid beasts that were once human. Like a pack of wolves, they ruled the night. It was the eerie silence that terrified Mayu the most. Though she had lived a secluded life away from her abusive parents for a year, this felt a lot different than those nights. At least she had Wanta to keep her safe from the ghouls she once believed roamed the beach every cold windy night; at least she had some sort of shelter; at least she was used to that setting.

Mayu's footing cracked a few twigs. She yelped softly, worried she might attract the 'wolves'. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found no-one around and moved forward, climbing over a small crest. When she reached the crest she saw a man resting against a tree a short distance away. Initially she thought it could be another one of 'them,' but then again, why would these things need to sleep? And why wouldn't this one be along with the rest of the 'pack'? Perhaps it was safe...Besides she had to the chance. Without Nana, she couldn't bear to sleep out here alone without some sort of protection.

And the man looked like he could provide that vital muscle. Large-solid build, the buzz-cut hair and thin shades of a commando officer. She edged closer to the man admiring the way his head leant to one side in his sleep. When she got closer she noticed a large infected wound in his right arm. What if he was bitten by one of the monsters? Would he become one of them?

CLICK. In a quick blur the man extended his left arm and produced a rather foreboding gun. His face was emotionless and cold as ice. Mayu's throat choked in shock, unable to scream or speak. Her teeth chattered, cold and afraid...

She was face to face with the cold unforgiving barrel of fate...

_Why? Why does it have to end like this..._

BOOM!

…

Yuka jolted from her bed. She thought she could hear some movement outside. Terrified of what might be approaching their house, she crawled through pitch blackness whispering for Kouta. She swept her hands in front of her, making sure she didn't run into any walls.

"_Kouta...Kouta...Where are you? I hear something outside?"_

She could see the pale blue light coming from the front room, she followed the light, turning the corner and discovering the door was wide open. She covered her mouth sweat trickling down her cheeks.

_An intruder!_

She took a few seconds to calm her breathing and slowly edged her head over the corner to face the doorway. A gentle breeze flowed into the room. She decided to reach the doorway and check outside. Slowly making her way for the door she heard a footstep behind her. Paralysed with fear she held her breath, hoping it might have only been Kouta or Nana. Another footstep...another and another. Finally she could feel them breathing on the nape of her neck. Adrenalin kicked in, she swung on her knees ready to throw a wild punch when she discovered.

"A girl...? W-What is a little girl doing here?" She sobbed with relief, wrapping her arms around the exposed legs of this naked girl before her. It just seemed so surreal, as if a guardian angel had dropped down on earth to save her, Kouta and Nana from the monsters. She pressed her wet cheeks into the girls small belly before raising her head to get a better view of the girls face. And Yuka believed she must have been an angel, with pink hair and tiny horns just like Nana and a sweet little smile.

However Yuka soon realised Angels eyes don't glimmer red like the colour of blood, nor do they possess warped faces and sharp knife-like teeth.

"KOUTA!"

…

Mayu wasn't sure if she had experienced death, she was expecting a painful end. But she was intrigued by the seemingly numb and pleasant feeling of death, she was afraid to open her eyes and discover a strange new world unfamiliar to her own. Perhaps the real pain of death was knowing you would never see then ones you love or eat the foods you enjoyed ever again. But she had to open her eyes, she couldn't lock them shut forever.

But suddenly she did feel something, a heavy push which drove her to the ground. Confused Mayu opened her eyes, much to her disappointment, death wasn't very different to the life she was just experiencing seconds before.

"Get your arse in gear little girl!" A gruff voice came form the side. It was the same man as before. His gun still faced the same direction as Mayu was standing before.

_So I'm still alive? But what was he shooting at?_

Her answer would appear in the form of a young naked woman with flowing pink hair. As she drew closer Bando grabbed picked up Mayu off her feet and carried her further into the bushes, stopping only to exchange a few bursts of fire at the mysterious woman.

"Sir? What are you doing? Why are you shooting her?" Mayu tried to ask the determined commando.

"Tch. Just shut-up kid or you'll bite your tongue." Bando winced and loosened his grip on Mayu slightly. He was using his injured arm to carry her. "Shit..." He had to drop Mayu and clutch his arm.

"Are you hurt sir? Maybe I can-" Mayu was hit by the man's limp arm. She fell to the ground sobbing in pain and confusion.

"Fucking hell..." The angry man muttered to himself...This is fucking shit-house...I can't keep this up any longer..." Suddenly he acknowledged the child. "I'll keep her back for while, just run away from here."

Mayu was frozen in panic. Unsure of this man's nature and the strange woman he was escaping from.

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME MISS! GETTHAFUCKOUTTAHERE!"

Suddenly Mayu did something unexpected Something drew her towards this brutish man, and instead of repulsion she experienced the force of attraction towards him. Squeezing his arm tightly, she sobbed into his injury.

"Please sir! I have no idea where I am and am alone and scared...Please help me...Let me help you fight the monsters."

And even the man was feeling unexpectedly sorry for this poor child now. He sighed and knelt down so he could be level with the child. He produced a sweaty old handkerchief and wiped the area where he hit her.

He mumbled something along the lines of. "Sorry I got bit carried away there..." Before he scrunched the hanky back into his pocket and lifted his gun defensively. "You think you can keep up with me?"

Mayu nodded with minimal confidence. The man produced small aerosol cans. "When that woman gets close I'm gonna lob a few of these at her. It should give is some time to escape.

"But sir I don't understand what did she do to us?" Mayu asked innocently.

"I know what she is. She's one of those lab rats from the research facility offshore. This ones a particularly mean bitch so we have to stay well away from her."

As the ruffling became louder though the shrub Mayu quick;y introduced myself. "My name's Mayu."

"Great..." The man scoffed, still focusing on the shrubs. He grumbled something along the lines of "Bndu..."

"Hmm? Is your name Bando?"

"Sure why not?" He quickly zipped into action, the pink hair jutted out of the bushes. Bando pierced the cans with his combat knife releasing a huge amount of pressure. He rolled them towards the horned woman who was seemingly gliding towards them. Unlike the zombies her eyes weren't those of death or hunger, but rather of loneliness and sadness. As she reached a few metres away Bando dropped a lighter near the cans and made a break for it. The small clearing was showered in flames. Bando grabbed Mayu's arm and ran for it once again. This time he didn't turn back, if that didn't stop her it was best he spent his vital time fleeing from the dangerous creature instead of ogling her form and waiting for her next move.

…

THWACK. Yuka was saved when Kouta appeared behind the red-eyed girl slamming the leg of the coffee table on her horned head. The girl slumped forward and was swiftly knocked out. As blood curdled around her head, soaking itself in her pink hair Yuka sighed a deep angst-filled breath and picked herself up. "Thank you Kouta. I don't understand, she seemed just like Nana, but her teeth...and those eyes..." She rubbed her arms only to find warmth from Kouta's own.

"It's alright, I'll take her outside, you get Nana and start packing a few things..."

"We're leaving tonight?" Yuka shuddered in a whisper.

"We have no other option now, if she's one of them, then the rest will follow soon enough." Kouta was about to lift the little girl when he suddenly fell violently. It wasn't as if he was tripped or lost his footing but rather felt an invisible push. Yuka bent over to pick him up but was slapped hard in the face by this invisible force. She spun in the air before landing in the corner.

"YUKA!" Kouta reached over for her but was slung back into the other wall. The wind was knocked out of his body and he struggled to stand. He focused on the strange girl who was rising slowly. Astonishingly she was starting to float in the air. Slowly she raised her head revealing her wicked face behind the scrap of pink hair which trailed down her eyes.

"Chi...Chi...Chi...Chi..." She muttered under her breath until she bore a set of demonic fangs. "BLOOD!"


	8. Fatal Reunion

_Chapter 8_

Fresh blood poured across the walls of the Maple Inn. Yuka and Kouta were both too frightened to open their eyes, in fear that they would see the other one shedding precious life fluid. Instead they heard a loud shriek coming from the monster child, a demonic rasp like a possessed toddler whining over a spilt box of toys.

"Yuka and Kouta, please run away!" Kouta and Yuka opened their eyes and found Nana in the centre of the room, holding a strange pose as if choking herself. The other girl was now focused on it's fellow pink haired counterpart.

"NANA!"

"Please go! Don't worry about me..." Nana continued struggling and was soon lifted off the floor by this supernatural force.

"STOP HURTING NANA!" Kouta wasn't acting the coward this time and lunged for the girl. Even though she was just standing with her arms to the side, he knew she was somehow manipulating or controlling Nana's body to cause so much pain.

"CHIII!" The girl suddenly rolled her head around 180 degrees and spat acidic saliva at Kouta's face. He instantly recoiled into the wall, screaming in agony and wiping the corrosive spit out of the left side of his face. Yuka leapt across the room to protect him but was quickly thrown back to the wall by the demon-child's power.

"PLEASE STOP HURTING THEM, HURT ME INSTEAD!" Nana tried to bargain with the monster. It twisted its head back towards its main target strengthening its invisible stranglehold on Nana.

"Nana...Kouta...We're all gonna die..." Yuka could barely stay conscious, being thrown into the wall several times had knocked the life out her. Just as it all looked grim, she thought she could see that amazing commando man charging in kicking that girl's demonic arse. However it was probably just an illusion...After all, why would that man come back for Kouta and herself? They were just going to weigh him down anyway...

As she drifted into darkness, Yuka hoped her guardian angel would come down to the Maple Inn and rescue them from the nightmarish undead plague.

…

If only Yuka could have kept her eyes open just a little longer, she would have realised her apparent illusion was in fact a reality. The burly saviour swooped straight through the door and without a second thought, placed a right hook square on the girl's lower jaw, knocking a few of her needle-like teeth out in the process.

"NANA! Are you alright?" A familiar voice came through behind the commando officer.

"Mayu! You're alive!" Nana smiled weakly, exhausted and out of breath.

"Bando! Where the hell have you been?" Kouta roused jokingly, covering his left eye.

"Had to take a detour to pick up lil' bo' peep here." Bando smartly responded before unleashing his arsenal on the pink-haired terror. "C'mon, you're a pushover compared the other one."

_The other one! So there' more like this girl?_ Kouta crawled over to Yuka as Bando played with the monster child.

"Kouta, Yuka are you alright?" Nana and Mayu crossed over to aid the others. Mayu brought Yuka up to a comfortable seated position and gently tried to wake her.

"HEHEHE You're ma' ever tell ya to brush your teeth?" Bando revelled in his skirmish with the child which was bouncing and dodging every bullet he fired. Even the ones which seemed on target would bounce off as if some sort of force field was protecting her body.

"**CHIIIIII!**" The girl screeched before it flung itself towards Bando, clamping it's jaws on his only healthy arm.

"AARRRRGGGGG! FUCK YOU CRAZY BITCH!" Bando slammed the but of his gun onto the girls horny skull, denting and mashing the pink hair into a bloody mess. But the girl's jaws only tightened, like a nasty bear trap. Bando resorted to ramming the girl's tiny frame into a nearby wall, but the walls were paper thin and the two combatants crashed through the wall into the next room.

"BANDO!" Mayu darted towards the not-so-gentle giant. Bando warned her to get away but she pressed forward, hoping to somehow pry the scary girl's jaws off of Bando's arm.

"NO YOU IDIOT! Get the others out of here while you have a chance - AAAARRRGGGHHH!" Bando continued to fight against the unbearable pain coursing through his arm.

"No I can't let her kill you!" Mayu screamed with tears stinging her eyes. Bando almost seemed to frown in humble admiration for her braveness. Who the hell ever looked out for big old Bando before anyway? He always built on his tough exterior, because deep down, he knew that noone was ever going to look out for him. As pathetic as it may have seemed, this was the first time, someone had ever offered their life for him...Even if it was a twelve-year old girl.

Mayu wrapped her tiny hands around the girl's jaws, using all her strength to try and break free the girl's vice-like grip. Her fangs teeth had dug themselves deep into Bando's flesh, she slotted her fingers between the gaps in her teeth, curling them to the roof of her mouth and clawing upwards.

"Mayu" Nana called over but it was too late. Mayu was pushed upward, hitting the roof then landing on the wooden floor unconscious. Nana was too weak to use her vectors against this opponent and Bando was incapacitated by the monster's bite.

The child slowly released her grip on Bando and licked the blood of the side of her mouth. She picked up Mayu by the neck with her invisible arms.

"No! I beg you please don't kill her! I'll be more satisfying than Mayu please she's just a girl!" Nana limped towards her trying to reason with the mutant Diclonius. The girl slowly turned to Nana and offered a toothy smile before facing her new prey again, baring her drooling fangs as she brought Mayu closer to her gaping jaws.

BANG. Blood spewed from the girl's cranium as her right horn was ripped out by a sneaky bullet. Bando laughed weakly as he realised the girl's weakness.

Thankfully she put Mayu down. She lowered and head and looked as if she was about to cry until...

"**UUWWAAAAGGGHHH!" **Sharp jets of air struck across the room as the house was being torn to pieces by this girl's extreme tantrum.

"Shit! Now she's pissed!" Bando's adrenaline pumped back into his legs as he grabbed Mayu and Nana, retreating back to Kouta and Yuka's position.

"She's different to the others...She's a complete monster." Kouta remarked as he lifted up Yuka.

"Can you walk?" Bando addressed Nana who quickly nodded. "I'll take Mayu. Let's-"

A cold jet of air zipped across the back of Bando's neck. He felt something wet trickle down his neck and pressed his hand against it...Blood..._How does she...?_

The wall was sliced in front of them, level with the cut on Bando's neck. Whichever way they saw it, they were trapped. Out of strength, weapons, ideas and most critically time for dealing with this threat.

"At least we didn't all become zombies eh?" Kouta joked nervously, he didn't want to die now, nobody did. Even Bando was trembling as the demon child stepped closer, tearing rings in the ground as she approached.

"Chi...Chi...Chi...Chi...CHI!" The girl opened it's reptilian jaws and extended its right arm ready to grab some fresh meat. Just as the hand was about to grab Nana it suddenly vanished – rather the entire arm up to the shoulder was forcibly separated from the girl's body. The monster looked at it's missing limb, confused rather than feeling any pain. The others could now see its true disgusting form from the inside as sticky, stringy, slime-like blood trailed from it's shoulder. Before the girl could react, a large gash was torn through her left side, spilling rotting organs over the ground.

"What's going on?" Kouta shuddered, both bemused and relieved as the monster finally decided to withdraw down the mountains in search for easier prey. It's high pitched moans echoing through the night.

"Thank god for whatever the hell did that to her." Kouta whooped as he laid Yuka back down. She was slowly coming to.

"Oh...Did we all live?" She said softly.

"It seems so." Kouta answered affectionately. "Though the Maple Inn might need some intensive care."

"Nana...Bando..." Mayu recovered from her spell as well. "Where did she go?"

"Hopefully the fuck away from here." Bando regarded as he scanned the ruins of the Maple Inn. "All I wanna know is who or what saved our arses back there?"

"Uh-oh..." Mayu faced what was the doorway. She recognised the figure standing at the door. Had she returned to finish the job of her friend?

"Mother..." Bando was too shocked to finish his curse. Even fire didn't seem to slow down this person. She had survived unscathed and was surely looking for revenge.

Nana shook her head and uttered a name. "Please no...not you...anyone but you...Lucy..."


	9. Opening Old Wounds

**Though it sounds arrogant, I particularly like this chapter. I hope you readers do too. So here's the next chapter and don't forget the three R's (Read, Review and eRrrrrenjoy!)**

_Chapter 9_

"So you come to finish the scraps Missy?" Bando tried to act cool but he was as frightened as the others at the girl named Lucy's arrival.

"How did you get out of there? It's impossible! None of us could ever have escaped that place." Nana shuddered at the fact that Lucy had made it out of the high security research compound. If she was here, who knows how many innocent people have already died at the hands of her vectors.

Lucy took a few steps inside the ruined Inn. She glanced down at the five souls hunched together in the wall. Though she seemed mystifying with her flowing pink locks and triangle shaped horns, her eyes did not resonate the intense red light which was a feature of all the other zombies. Perhaps she wasn't infected with the virus, but her presence was anything but reassuring for the humans and fellow Diclonius Nana.

"I'm scared...What will she do with us?" Mayu squeezed her arms around Nana's waist, she felt Nana's invisible hands warming her back in comfort.

Nana pleaded to the Diclonius Queen. "Please Lucy...I know your not like the other ones, you can hear me and understand me right...Take me if you wish but spare the humans' lives, they have nowhere to go...Please..."

"Lucy? Diclonius? I don't understand any of this." Yuka was still a bit dazed from the concussion but even with a fresh mind she'd be as anxious and confused as the others.

Lucy turned to face the five of them. Her expression as blank as death itself. She didn't display any attributes of sympathy for these poor folks, but at the same time their wasn't any indication of sadism, or any flicker of an intention to kill any of them. Instead she just seemed to ogle them in a sort of curiosity offered to animals in a zoo. She was studying them with intrigue.

Bando would have been the first to try and take her down but even he knew his body had it's limits. Nana faced a similar dilemma, though not as injured she still couldn't bring herself to use her vectors against Lucy, even if her life and the lives of others were at risk.

Suddenly it seemed everyone was completely surprised to find Kouta stand up with his hands curling into raging fists; the next moment he was across the room tackling the Diclonii Queen to the ground, startling Lucy herself.

Yuka and Nana both shouted. "KOUTA WHAT ARE YOU DOING! SHE'LL KILL YOU!"

"WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY!" Kouta had become possessed in his rage, pinning Lucy to the floor, lifting her shoulders and slamming her head onto the wooden floor repeatedly with each word. "WHY! WHY! WHY DID YOU DO IT! WHY DID YOU KILL THEM! WHY! WHY! WHY!" Hot tears spouted from Kouta's contorted face, splashing on Lucy's pale face. She didn't move or wince, she stared at Kouta, almost expecting to come here and face this kind of treatment.

"Kouta please stop it! That's enough." Yuka wailed as she brought herself over and slung her arms behind his shoulders trying to restrain his madness. Kouta seethed from his teeth, and screamed to the heavens in search for answers.

"NOOOOOO!" Kouta dropped Lucy again and dropped his arms to the side, sobbing silently to himself. "Why did she come here? Why is she allowed to live while the innocent die?"

Yuka flicked her fingers through Kouta's hair. "Kouta, you mustn't do this, she's not like the others...She can help us."

"NO!" Kouta's voice turned dark again. "She may as well be like the others! She has no remorse for what she did to Kanae and Father."

Yuka's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? Your father and sister died in a car accident."

"That was a lie! I remember the entire nightmare now!" Kouta pointed his daggered finger at Lucy's throat. "She murdered them! She's the only true monster among us!"

"Kouta..." Nana wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't right for her to get involved.

"I can't believe it...You always told me they were killed in an accident but-"

"I denied the very thought of that night from my mind for over ten years. But Kanae's blood doesn't lie...She murdered them out of pure hate and jealousy. Nana said she escaped from a facility. She got more than she deserved being incarcerated all those years. But now she's back to haunt me even further. She must die!"

"Kouta..." A new voice...Lucy finally opened her mouth.

"Don't even talk! You have no right to say my name again!" Kouta remained unforgiving to the Diclonius.

"I'm sorry for what I did..." Lucy said in a bland tone. She remained still on the floor as she gazed into Kouta's vengeful eyes.

"You're sorry?" Kouta said mockingly. "Are you fucking serious! You ruined my whole life and you think you can just come back in the middle of a zombie plague and expect my forgiveness?"

Lucy continued her apology. "I'm sorry Kouta...I won't hurt any of your friends-"

"NO MORE LIES!" Kouta clamped his hands around Lucy's thin neck. Yuka tried desperately to stop him but Kouta had locked up this anger for many years to use it on Lucy one day. She could not hope to stop the demon that was possessing his cousin.

"Kouta! Enough!" Nana intervened and pulled on his back as well. Mayu also came over to try and help.

"Alright kid you've made your point..." Bando faced in front of Kouta and kicked his chest, throwing him and the other girls off Lucy. "If anyone's gonna deal with this chick it'll be me anyway." Bando pressed a small gun to Lucy's forehead.

Kouta whimpered in the corner, winded. Yuka tried to comfort him whilst Bando dealt with Lucy.

"Alright Missy, you say you ain't gonna hurt us, but as far as I know, you the Diclonius I was sent here to kill. So how can we trust you – especially after you chased us through the forest just a while ago?"

"I do not wish to hurt any of you. I was just trying to reach Kouta." Lucy rises to a seated position, Bando keeping the gun firm on her head. "It's useless to point that toy at my head...I could cut off your arm before you even pull the trigger."

Bando smiled. "AHAH! So you really are a monster? Well then-"

"You misunderstand...I'm simply telling you how futile your situation is at this point...That girl you were fighting before is another variant of my species. You cannot kill her with those weapons."

"So what are you wanting to help us kill her or something?"

"No...I'm only here to protect Kouta and escort him to a safe place away from her."

Kouta rose to his feet. "You want to protect me huh? How do I know you aren't trying to lull us into a trap? It probably wouldn't be the first time either."

"We have no time to argue over this...Her drones will be approaching us very soon."

"You mean those zombies?" Yuka pressed forward.

"Correct. She is able to control them to do her bidding. She is far more advanced than my own species."

"Then can you even defeat her?" Nana asked concertedly.

"I'm not sure. She has features which I don't but lacks a mature mind. Our safest bet is to reach the shore and find a way back to the island."

"Then I can meet Papa again..." Nana hoped.

"But if she's an offshoot breed of your kind, what if she has already infected the island as well?" Bando questioned, lowering his gun slightly.

"Though I have been incarcerated for many years at the facility, I've learnt from the conversations of staff and other personnel about the technology they possess at the facility." Lucy crossed her legs then stood up. "I would not be surprised to discover that in fact this virus was bio-engineered by one of their cronies. However they would have also created an antidote; after all why would a human create a virus even they cannot control?"

Kouta protested again. "What if they did wish to create an uncontrollable virus? What if there is no antidote?"

"Then we can hold our place on the island until somebody else has."

"I don't like it at all!" Kouta snapped. "Who said you could tell us what to do anyway? We've already got a plan in mind."

"Have we?" Yuka blinked sharply.

"Yeah I have decided were gonna wait here until the military reinforcements come and rescue us."

"They won't be coming." Lucy bluntly stated.

"It's a safer bet than your crazy idea to swim five kilometres to some island which may already be swarming with zombies!"

"But even you said a while ago that we would try that." Yuka discovered his contradiction.

"Well I've changed my mind now, she only wants to take us to the shore so she can surround us with those monsters anyway."

SLAP. Yuka had had enough of Kouta's irrationality and silenced hm with a swipe to the cheek. "Why are you acting like this? I want the old Kouta back...Why do you have to be so cruel to this girl? No matter what she did in the past, we have to work together or we're all gonna die...Then will you be happy? Will you feel you had your revenge after we all die? Bastard!"

"Yuka...?" Kouta embraced Yuka softly as she cried deep into his chest. Not even a day had past yet they had experienced what seemed like an eternity of fear and agony. Their lives had changed forever in the space of twelve hours and it seemed everyone was physically and emotionally fatigued. It seemed Yuka and Kouta were no longer able to bottle it up any longer. However they both knew they had to control themselves for each other's sake, so they could both make it out alive together hand-by-hand.

"Well as much as I hate to side with horned people, I have to go with Lucy's idea." Bando suddenly sided with the pink-haired woman. "The S.A.T don't send their little parties after these types of situations. The Japanese military will probably carpet bomb the place to cover up any evidence this ever happened."

"But they can't just wipe out Kamakura! Their may still be other survivors out there." Mayu protested.

"Doesn't matter to the government or the military. This is how they clean up their spills. We should probably go with Lucy and get off the mainland before they drop their little friends on our heads."

Lucy spoke again. "I could use my vectors to make an improvised raft, if we leave by morning the tide should be low enough to make for an easy escape."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's skedaddle." Bando clapped as he tried to hurry everyone along.

"Hold on!" Lucy paused. "I won't be going anywhere unless Kouta goes as well." She walked over to Kouta so she could feel his breath against her bare chest. "Are you coming with us Kouta?"

Kouta averted his gaze, eyeing glimpses of Lucy's naked body. She was almost like an angel, returning to Kouta's side to protect him and himself only. Was he selfish because he had such a guardian by his side?

As Kouta decided the wails of the zombies horde could be heard outside. They were closing in on the Maple Inn now, scavenging for the final few fresh humans to delve their teeth into.

"Come on Kouta just say it!" Yuka danced on her feet nervously.

Kouta took his sweater off and slipped it onto the girl who killed everything that was once important to him. "You'll get a cold if you fight zombies like that."


	10. Fighting Death

**By the way, if you haven't read the manga, you won't know or appreciate some of the characters I introduce in this chapter. Though it's not neccessary for this fanfic, I highly reccomend you read the Elfen Lied Manga anyway (from about ch.65 onwards) as it's just so f*king awesome. Anyway enjoy the latest chapter!**

_Chapter 10_

"The virus has spread faster than anticipated. Well done son, I could never have devised such a successful strain myself." The two Kakuzawa's tipped their glasses to each other as the crew shared a few drinks, hovering above the ruined city of Tokyo. The apocalypse had already struck the nations capital, fires and explosions brimming across the horizon. The ocean tainted red with the blood of the millions of dead. The roads swarming the millions more undead, their red eyes dotting the landscape like a hellish inferno of evil.

"What do you plan on doing now professor." Arakawa was sitting next to the scientist who created this destruction.

"We have the whole of Japan falling to it's knees, we can do whatever we want baby." Kakuzawa lifted his hand over to her thigh to which she flinched nervously. "Actually father, that reminds me, there are some things I'd like to pick up from the research facility."

"Of course." Director Kakuzawa gave an instruction to the pilot, a blonde man with thin shades, who nodded firmly and begun to change course. Kakuzawa smiled, shaping his fingers into a pyramid. "It would be nice to catch up with our dear friend Kuruma."

…

A thousand terrifying screams circled the Inn in a matter of seconds. The forest was ablaze with a thousand pairs of glaring red orbs. Now all that remained between the borders of life and death itself were six brave souls. Six souls who were ready for a fight.

"GAAGGHHH!" Bando was the first to charge into the wave of monsters. Ignoring the pain from his injuries, he punched clubbed and battered any creature unfortunate enough to meet this path. Lucy followed suit taking the left flank with Nana taking the right. The three that you could still qualify as the only real humans in the crowd stayed close together. Kouta guided the two females towards Lucy who was ripping into the heads of several beasts as once with telekinetic might.

"Trying to best me are ya Lucy?" Bando smirked as he continued pummelling zombies with his bare hands, laughing insanely as the rotted blood splashed across his dirty ragged face. This was all a game to the ex-marine.

"I'm merely creating a path for Kouta to pass through." Lucy paused and faced Bando. As the zombies cradled around her she barely blinked twice before a curtain of blood, flesh and bone raised itself around her. Bando would have been shitting bricks if he had eaten less than ten hours ago. Instead he hid his awestruck fear of the Queen Diclonius and resumed his own killing pleasures.

Nana was able to deal with her small front of zombies, she preferred to remove their heads as quickly and humanely as possible. Unlike Lucy and Bando, she preferred to think of these people as suffering a terrible, incurable disease. That way she could feel less guilty, using her vectors to kill, as she knew that this method was the only effective cure for their misery.

Kouta used a small knife he took from the kitchen earlier to stab into the eyes and throats of any zombies that swayed to close to himself and Yuka. Yuka preferred to keep a good distance between the undead and used a sharpened broom handle to spear a few zombie torsos. Mayu – the youngest of the zombie resistance, remained behind the others, trying to close her eyes and ears, shielding herself from the nightmare. Yet she was compelled to squint her eyes now and then to make sure the others were alright, and she herself was not about to enter the nightmare for good.

"Where the fuck did these bastards come from?" Bando cursed as he ripped the half eaten head off one of the infected creatures.

"The virus has spread so fast, the whole town must be infected." Kouta observed as he twisted his blade through a lady's nose, dragging out traces of brain as he pulled out the knife.

"But we could be facing millions of these things if that's true!" Yuka cried out as she drove her makeshift spear into two older zombies who stood behind one another.

"We just need to keep pushing forward, our break will come soon." Lucy encouraged the others as she made ten more creatures head's explode in a shower of blood and grey brain matter.

"You'll have to teach me that move later." Bando chuckled as he grabbed a businessman's head and slammed it into a nearby tree, crushing it's inner juices like a watermelon.

As the battle continued into the night, it seemed as if the group were making tiny progress through the forest. The Maple Inn was still visible behind them, from this distance it looked as if they had only advanced a hundred metres in the space of an hour.

Kouta was feeling the strain and was wearing fast. He had strayed a bit further away from Yuka and Mayu and was facing four more former humans. One was a young woman who wore an blood-splattered and tattered apron. Another was a short fat man in a grey jumpsuit; half of the right side of his belly had already been eaten by the other zombies, so at least the man reached his ideal weight loss. The final two appeared to be a set of twins, a boy and a girl with short blonde hair and tiny mouths. Their childish innocence gone in one day – now they were cannibalistic hounds just like the others.

Kouta didn't seem to have a problem dealing with the fat man. Even though he was the strongest, pinning Kouta's shoulders against a large tree, Kouta managed to slash his knife across his entire gut spilling out the rest of his fat riddled guts. As the man stumbled forward Kouta lifted the blade upwards driving the tip through the man's mouth and out the back of his head.

As the other three advanced slowly Kouta pushed the man into the two children and went for the woman – possibly a mother of the two children nearby. He tackled her into another tree, impaling her left breast against a prodding branch. She swung her arms around wildly as she tried to reach Kouta but her body was now skewered against the splintered wood.

With her out of the way Kouta was now left to face the two children. But children can't be killed like this according to Kouta. Killing what were once people was one thing – Kouta had accepted that now, but every time he looked into the beady, little red eyes of a zombie child Kouta saw his dead sister Kanae inside those children. The guilt he faced from letting Kanae die all ten years ago would inevitably lead to his own demise to this day, if he couldn't bring himself to shed the blood of another possessed child.

The boy saw his hesitation and leaped onto Kouta's right arm, knocking him backwards. The girl snarled excitedly and scurried across the ground before launching herself into the air with her tiny jaws gaping, revealing her tiny fangs. Kouta flinched and brought his other arm up defensively. He forgot that was the arm he held his knife in; he was surprised to find the savage girl had ran into the poking blade, impaling herself on the right cheek of her once sweet and chubby face. For a moment the girl almost looked human again as bloody tears ran down the corners of her eyes. Kouta almost wanted to cry too, hating himself for taking the life of another child, an innocent victim of man's bio-terrorism.

The boy had realised his sister had been killed and was now more ravenous than ever before. It's eyes glistening a burning hot red as he prepared his jaws to sink into the soft flesh of his sister's killer.

_Goodbye Yuka...Goodbye Lucy...I guess I deserved this in the end..._

But his punishment was not going to be delivered just yet it seemed as the boy's entire body seemed to explode spontaneously. At least the girl could still maintain her appearance in death – the boy's thousand's of pieces would warrant him unrecognisable to a morgue.

"Lucy!" Kouta stared into the melancholic eyes of the pink haired demon.

"What are you doing Kouta? You'll get yourself killed if you distract yourself like that again." Lucy offered one of her real hands and helped Kouta to his feet.

"I'm sorry it's just-" Then he realised he was about to explain his anxiety to the woman who took away his sister's life and created this internal guilt in the first place. "I'm exhausted...We've been fighting for hours."

Lucy shaped the corners of her face into what might have qualified as a smile. "Stay close to me and I'll protect you." Lucy guided Kouta through the forest of death carving her way through guts and limbs with her insubstantial machetes.

"We're gonna break through!" Nana beamed enthusiastically as she mowed down three more zombies.

"What so you mean? I'm just getting warmed up!" Bando drew his handgun and made an example out of several more monsters.

"Why are they attracted towards us? Are we the only ones left?" Yuka yelled out as she plugged the tip of her wooden spear into a schoolgirl's eye. She was probably once the prettiest and most popular in her class but now she was desperate for a makeover.

As they pressed further down the mountain the ground began to plateau and the forest became less dense. However just as they thought they had broken through the undead ranks, another wave of fiery eyes were lighting up the shadows.

"Why don't they give us a break?" Kouta sighed, holding his hips.

"Get ready Kouta!" Lucy offered him support.

Just as their rotting faces peered out of the darkness, the horde of undead suddenly changed direction and turned back. A loud crashing noise disrupted the forest as smoke and flames billowed out of the woods in the distance.

"Oh my God! An accident!" Yuka gasped as she held her weapon close to her chest.

"Perhaps..." Lucy answered. "This will give us a chance to escape down the other side of the mountains."

"No!" Kouta stepped in. "Their may be survivors, we can't let them be eaten by those creatures."

"It's futile." Lucy responded calmly. "They will have already reached them by now and will be ripping into their flesh as we speak."

"You might not think a human's life is worth saving but I do." Kouta retorted. He winced as a surge of pain struck his burned eye.

"Let me have a look at that for you." Lucy rushed over and flicked back strands of Kouta's soft black hair. Yuka watched on suspiciously. The Diclonius placed her hand gently onto the wounded area and focused. Kouta flinched as he could feel his body somehow stitching itself back up again. "Okay how does it feel now?" Lucy stood up.

"Fine!" Kouta was amazed that his eye had completely healed itself.

"How did you do that Lucy?" Nana bounced over, amused by her Queen's special handiwork.

"I simply used by vectors to piece together adjacent living skin cells over the dead cells." She explained it as if it really were that simple.

Bando rested over by a tree, his breathing was becoming heavier and slower. "Hey...you don't suppose you could try that out on my arms love?"

Lucy looked towards Kouta who nodded. She walked over to the iron man and took both his arms. "I can seal the wounds and stem the bleeding, but I'm afraid it won't be much longer until you become one of them."

Mayu cried. "No. Isn't there anyway to stop him from changing?"

"There is only one way, if he is willing to accept." Lucy stared into the commando's small brown eyes.

Bando was probably the closest to ever feeling sad, even if it was only for himself. But he hid his fear behind a smug grin. "No thanks! If I'm gonna die. Then I wanna die on the battlefield, killing as many more of those bastards before I go. I'd no sooner kill myself than give up now and say I'm through. We're all in this shit to the end right guys?"

Everyone shared an uneasy look but soon smiled. "Of course!"

With Lucy already taken care of his arms Bando raised his arms and roared to the heavens. "LET'S GIVE EM HELL!"

"YEAH!"

BANG. BANG The faint sounds of gunfire could be heard from the crash site. Everyone paused for a moment before Kouta whispered. "So we're not the only one's putting up a zombie resistance." He followed the sound of gunfire and so too did the now united group of humans, Diclonii and Bando.

"We must be close!" Kouta sprinted through the open forest, weaving and diving over a few small bushes along the way. He was running at an immense speed, driven by an optimistic desire to unite more survivors, anyone who was not already undead. Though he feared venturing back into the zombie territory he was spurred on by the thought of extra manpower for their journey to the coast. After all, they might have weapons and tools to aid their fight against a whole city of walking dead.

Kouta finally broke through the forest and entered a small clearing. A military helicopter wedged itself between some large rocks. It was beyond retrieval. However the people inside had survived the impact and were putting up a tough defence against a hundred or so hungry creatures. A blonde man in a thick leather jacket was firing some rounds into the zombies, whilst another man wearing a fedora hat and black trench-coat was shooting spiked balls projectiles from a modern crossbow.

Finally an explosion of zombie flesh erupted in the middle of the group as another blonde man wearing a casual outfit appeared. In front of him were four identical young girls, though it was hard to tell as their faces were concealed by strange helmets. They wore tight black clothing around their thin bodies.

"Diclonius!" Nana and the rest caught up. And noticed the unique band of zombie resistance fighters.

"Come on! Don't let them take all the glory!" Bando barged through and attacked from the rear of the zombie front. Lucy and the other soon followed, making easy work of the large number of monsters.

"We would have managed fine without your help." The Agent remarked.

"Well at least we know how much our effort was appreciated." Yuka said sarcastically.

"You look worse than the things we just slaughtered." The Man in the trench-coat commented about Bando's appearance.

Bando panted heavily. "Least I'm lookin' better than you ever will Mr Vampire."

"Well done Barbara, Cynthia, Alicia and Diana." The blonde man pats the helmet of one of the girls who nuzzles her head in response.

Kouta beamed. "I'm glad you're all alive! We need as many survivors as possible if we are to reach the island."

"The Island eh?" The voice of an older man emerged from the wreckage. His suit was surprisingly clean and his small head of silvery-grey hair remained slick as he lifted himself out of the metal. His eyes widened as he discovered Lucy among the group but he quickly reserved himself. "It just so happens that is where we are heading as well..."


	11. Eve of Destruction

**Yew! The longest chapter so far! I really loved the Manga-only characters and wanted to get good use out of them in this story. Though it's Elfen Lied and it's got zombies, I have to admit this chapter is particarly nasty though so you have been warned! Enjoy :) !**

_Chapter 11_

_**Eve**  
><em>

"I don't know if we can trust these people." Lucy took Kouta aside for a moment whilst the others conversed with the new survivors.

"What do you mean Lucy?"

She glanced towards the old man and his three subordinates (seven if you included the Diclonius clones). "They obviously have come from the Diclonii research facility – the place where they have locked up and experimented on my kind for many years."

"But they might know more about this virus. Perhaps they might even provide us with the antidote." Kouta said with optimism.

Lucy cast her gaze aside, she seemed more human-like when she was around the fairly ordinary boy she swore to protect. "Well if that is what you wish to do, then I will support you."

"I won't let them hurt you or Nana." Kouta placed his hands on Lucy's shoulders and smiled. Lucy formed a weak smile before she returned to the main group.

"Having a little private chat were you?" The old man grinned. If he was trying to express excitement at his prized Diclonius' arrival then he was doing a good job hiding it. He remained cool and rather stoic in response to the Queen's return. Maybe he had other priories now that the virus had broken out of control.

"We were suggesting that we make a dash for the shore by the break of dawn." The Agent remarked. "The drones have a higher sensual capacity at night."

"So we'll rest here for the rest of the night?" Kouta spoke to the new allies.

"We should recuperate for now and take the next step with a fresh mind and body in the morning." Kakuzawa responded. "We can use parts of this chopper as shelter and carve weapons from the skids and blades."

"Excellent, now we have a strong chance against them!" Kouta slammed his fist.

Some rustling could be heard behind the wreckage. Kouta and the other's swung their heads towards the sound. A young woman wearing a torn lab coat and a yellow tanktop stumbled out of the chopper, tripping over her footing as she hopped out. "OUCH! That was some ride."

Her bottom poked into the air revealing her exposed panties. "KYAH!" She quickly covered her shame with the small tatters of white fabric that composed her scientist's garment.

"Ms. Arakawa?" Yuka recognised the young assistant from her University.

"AGHM!" Arakawa made a stranger grumbling noise as she straightened herself up and fixed her glasses. "What a strange coincidence that one of my students would be here..."

"Actually miss..." Kouta raised a hand.

"Oh and you must be another one! Pleased to meet you hehehehe!" Her laugh was not very convincing and her nerves were clearly showing.

"What were you doing in a chopper with people from the Diclonii research facility?" Kouta probed the young lady.

"Well you see uh..." She scratched the back of her head as she laughed nervously. "I'm travelling with the professor..."

"Professor? You mean..." Kouta recalled the man who flashed onto the TV screen, suspected of conceiving this undead plague.

Before he could react he discovered his biology teacher peering out of the wreckage wearing a smug look of victory as he fired a tranquilliser dart into the young boy's chest. The night of screams was soon becoming a night of silence for Kouta as he drifted out of consciousness.

…

Groggy and confused, Kouta felt himself being carried – dragged rather – by someone. He slowly opened his eyes and discovered the Agent was dragging him along the forest by the arm. He tried moving his legs but they were bound, as were his hands. He tried to shout and protest but his voice was dry and faint. Though he could only see blurs of colours he found Lucy and the others were being carried by these strange people as well. As his vision cleared some more he could make out the clones, striding alongside the blonde scientist as Lucy hovered above their heads. Were they using telekinesis? How were they carrying her like that?

"Lucy..." Kouta whimpered as he noticed a bunch of spiked balls were lodged in her thighs and chest. The jumper Kouta gave her was now in tatters and soaked in caked blood, dirt and tears.

He wobbled his head around to his right and noticed Mayu and Nana were both hurled around the shoulders of the Man in the trench-coat, occasionally he would snicker with a perverted grin as he fondled one of their buttocks.

_Bastards! How can they do this to us? Aren't we supposed to be fighting the same enemy?_

Kouta turned his gaze towards Bando, who was being dragged roughly by the professor and the old man in suit. Arakawa was hopping on her bare feet close behind. She didn't seem to be an accomplice of these people but was rather unfortunate in associating with these men.

"Yuka!" Kouta finally met eyes with his cousin, she was roughed up as much as the others, her sweet little face bruised and dirty as she was being carried by the Agent's other arm.

"Why are you doing this?" Kouta raised his head weakly, meeting the shaded eyes of the Agent. He stared at the boy with curiosity before returning his gaze ahead.

"_I can't believe she is still alive, unaffected by the virus!" _The old man could be heard conversing with the professor.

"_She is truly remarkable, I can't wait to get back to the facility and conduct some more tests on her."_ The evil scientist remarked.

"_These friends of hers will at least give us some chow for the drones whilst we make our escape." _The old man slyly commented as he turned his gaze to the others.

"_I envy you father...I may have spawned the evolutionary agent of the millennium but you are the brainchild behind our entire Diclonii network!"_

_Father and Son...what a sick way to bond with each other..._Kouta cursed inside his head. However such thoughts were useless. All that mattered was how he and the others would escape before they were fed to the human sharks.

"Hey kid..." Kouta jerked his head back up to face the Agent. "You wanna live?" Kouta made a faint nod. "Good...Then just play along for a while longer..." Unsure of this shadowy Agent's intentions Kouta half-closed his eyes and awaited his fate.

"Well then...looks like our guests have arrived..." Kakuzawa senior said smartly as he dropped the mighty Bando at his feet. As they reached the outskirts of town Kouta could make out a sea of angry red lanterns across the horizon. The zombies (or drones as their creator has called them), slowly made their way up the maze of roads towards the fresh meat awaiting them.

"Remember Nousou! I want Lucy alive, make sure your clones keep her out of harms way!" The older Kakuzawa barked his words at the blonde effeminate scientist who laughed gracefully.

"Your precious cargo is in safe delicate vectors." Nousou responded as he addressed his four clones. "Cynthia, Barbara, Diana, Alicia! Keep Lucy as high in the air as your range permits." The four girls nodded robotically as the troupe resumed their advance into the hellish fire of zombie hell.

_This is madness! There gonna let us die and save themselves! I'm sorry Yuka, I wasn't able to save you...In the end I'm still as useless as..._

BANG! Kouta felt himself drop to the ground as the Agent produced a small handgun and fired it into the back of the evil old Kakuzawa's ankle. He stumbled backwards in pain and shock. "Who fired that? How dare you!" The Agent shattered his other Achilles tendon as he dropped Yuka and dashed around the side of the others.

"STOP HIM! HE'S A SPY!" Kakuzawa cursed as his son tended to his injuries. The Agent slipped past the large man in trenchcoat's sight then shot into his back. As the Man dropped the two girls in pain the Agent swiftly caught them and headed towards Nousou and the clones.

"Hold it!" Nousou waved a hand towards his clones who now held Lucy in a standing position, swirls of air could be seen hovering around her throat. "In one command I can have this girls body torn into a million pieces...I should've known my own identical twin would conspire with that other facility, yet I truly believed you had changed your ways for a while there."

"Help me!" Professor Kakuzawa grappled with his young assistant and held a gun to her head. She squealed in terror as her own partner pressed the cold steel to her temple, causing her to wet herself.

"You've caused enough blood to be spilt in your family's name, put down your weapons and end this now!" The Agent tried responding with the conspirators.

"You fool! You think we were responsible for this bloodshed? We are merely paving the way for the new age in human-Diclonii evolution!" Kakuzawa spoke raggedly as he clutched his bloody ankles.

"This is not evolution, this is genocide! The other facility would not have condoned the misuse of Diclonii for personal gain!"

"What do those prats at the other facility know? All they do is make toys out of vectors, they know nothing of the superior qualities of Diclonii!"

"You're wrong again Kakuzawa...Our scientists have found many positive uses for Diclonii technology, rather than forge deadly viruses for your selfish vision."

The slaves of Kakuzawa's virus were closing in on the humans, the Man was about to fire a spiked ball at the Agent when...

"NOW BANDO!"

The hardcore warrior which seemed to be lying on his face for the last few minutes hopped to his feet and caught the Man's spiked ball with his bare hand. He continued running towards the Man as he bashed the projectile between his legs (yeah...that is gonna hurt...)

"AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!" The Man riled in pain as the neurotoxin coursed it's way through his manhood.

"Here Kouta!" The Agent hurled another small gun at Kouta who instinctively aimed it at Nousou. He wasn't quite on target but managed to graze the blonde scientists right knee.

Nousou howled in pain as he ordered his clones once more. "SHIT! CLONES KILL LUCY!"

The Agent dove straight over the clones as if playing a stunt in a Hollywood film, and captured Lucy just before the clones could use their invisible blades on her.

"YUKA WAKE UP!" Kouta grabbed Yuka and shook her violently. As she roused herself back in to consciousness Kouta helped her to her feet.

"What goin-"

"No time to explain just run!" Kouta guided Yuka towards Mayu and Nana who were still unconscious. "Grab Mayu and Nana and get out of here!"

"What's going on Kouta-" Yuka's eyed bulged alarmingly as a spiked ball embedded itself in the side of her neck.

"YUKA!" Kouta ran towards her but was blocked oof by the ugly Man.

"You'll pay! You'll all fucking pay for this!" The man was about to fire another spiked ball into Kouta but Bando quickly rushed over and laid a nice fist into the Man's jaw, knocking off the man's shades and hat in a comical fashion as he fell to the hard ground.

"You right boy?" Bando faced Kouta.

"Yuka...she..."

"Don't worry 'bout her, we gotta get our arses in gear!" Bando grabbed Kouta' hand and took him towards the two remaining antagonists.

Barbara, Diana take out those two!" Nousou waved a hand towards Bando and Kouta. "Cynthia go grab Lucy and Alicia stay by me." The scientist hobbled backwards as he kept his distance from the melee.

"Hand the girl over professor, it's over now..." The Agent turned his attention to rescuing the innocent scientist.

"I'm not gonna die in this shithole!" Kakuzawa lost control of his otherwise cool composure. "You're all gonna burn in hell! I'll make it back to the island and forge and even better virus. One which will spread across the entire globe, and I'll breed an obedient set of Silpelits to protect me as I live out my glorious days on the island!" He presses the barrel harder against Arakawa's temple causing her to whimper some more. "I'm not finished with my work yet! I won't die here, even if I have to dispose of this woman and my own Father!"

"Now I don't know who's the maddest out of the whole lot of you..." The Agent grumbled.

"Look out!" Bando tackled Kouta to the ground as the two clones carved a trench into the earth in front of them. Bando tried shooting at their heads but their vectors merely deflected the bullets.

"We can' beat them we have to get out of here!" Kouta yelled.

"We need Lucy for this kind of shit!" As if Bando said the magical words, he noticed the Diclonii Queen out of the corner of his eye, holding the upper half of one of the clones. She hurled the body into Nousou as she glided towards Kouta and Bando with menacing eyes.

"**Don't you dare lay a vector on Kouta!**" her voice was commanding as she pushed the two Diclonii aside and made her way towards him.

"Die bitch!" The Man had suddenly regained consciousness and was about to shoot Lucy when she used her vectors to slice off the Man's arms up to his elbows.

"Stop her!" Nousou ordered his three clones to converge on Lucy. She dodged all of their strikes and pounded her way into Nousou, impaling his body against a tree.

"**You won't be manipulating my kind any longer**" Lucy vowed as she plucked the man's tongue out with a stare.

"Gffffffff." The mute scientist made a gagging noise as he tried to stop Lucy.

A stray bullet made it's way through Lucy's right arm, she faced the Director of the prison she was held captive for ten years. "**You and you're son's twisted games are over...**" She blinked once as she cut the weapon out of his hand, snatching a few fingers in the process.

"LUCY! WHY have you betrayed me! We are of the same species, we could have started a new age together!" The delusional old man slid off his hairpiece with his other hand revealing two small horns, similar to Lucy's.

"No way..." Kouta stared at the strange growths on his scalp.

Lucy walked over and stared at the growths oddly. In a second the two bony lumps were ripped out of the man's skull as he writhed about in agony.

"As I thought...these are just petty growths." Lucy finally reached the lonely professor Kakuzawa, as he held Arakawa tight around his body.

"You don't want her to die now huh? If you try anything on me I'll wake her with me."

Arakawa's eyes were flooded with tears. She found Lucy's eyes were cold and unsympathetic. "Do what you want with her, she is of no concern to me."

"What!" Kakuzawa was shocked, but before he could pull the trigger the two horns flew into his eyes. "AAAGGGHHHH! WHY LUCY! WHYYYYY!" He wailed on the hard earth, releasing Arakawa.

Bando, Kouta and the Agent grabbed the others as they joined around Lucy. The heartless Diclonius faced all four of her victims. "I **won't kill any of you...I made myself a promise that I would no longer kill any humans. But since your filthy monsters, I'll let you wallow here amongst your own kind, I see your guests have finally arrived...**" Lucy raised her lips into a thin dark smile before she led the way through the zombie pack, causally slicing a pathway for the others to follow.

"DAD! DADDY Where are you? She took away my eyes! What's happening?" Kakuzawa junior crawled around like a helpless child as he searched for his Father.

"MY HANDS! MY BALLS! I SWEAR I'LL KFUCKING TEAR A HOLE RIGHT THROUGH YOUR ARSE LUCY!" The Man cursed loudly as he limped towards the others.

Nousou tried calling out the names of his three servants. They all shared confused glances before they abandoned the lot of them in search of their true master.

"Your clones are useless Nousou!" Kakuzawa dragged himself away from the monsters. Suddenly as all seemed lost the old man discovered a recognisable pair of bright red lights in the crowd.

"Yes she's returned to save us!" Kakuzawa crawled towards the mutant Diclonius child. "You can order them away can't you? You'll take them away far from here and kill Lucy and the other for me? After all we created you...You'll do that for old Kakuzawa right?" He wrapped his arms around the child's thin legs, catching strips of rotted flesh and intestines which trailed out of her open wound.

"Is that her daddy! Has my Eve come to rescue us?" Kakuzawa junior followed his father's voice and huddled around the zombie Diclonii. "Thank you so much! You will take us back to the island right? My precious Eve..."

The one named Eve gazed down upon the two hopeless souls. She revealed a sickening blood-drenched smile before she granted their wish – to take them all away from this place, and into her stomach.


	12. Sacrifice

**I know you guys love Elfen Lied and its characters, but from here on out it won't be pretty...The tears will soon flow as much as the blood shed in this story...So brace yourself for the latest chapter...**

_Chapter 12_

_**A Sacrifice**  
><em>

Lucy forged a bloody path through the zombie horde as the others made their way down the mountain. They finally touched the soggy asphalt of Kamakura as they pelted their way through a maze of flaming red eyes.

"We're up against the entire town!" The Agent bashed the but of his gun into the fresh rock-melon of a zombie head. He continued fighting as Nana lay on his back.

"How far until we reach the coast?" The young scientist Arakawa was now fighting the hosts of the very virus her partner had created. As the others made their way through the shopping villa, she picked up a small axe which had been used by someone to escape a hopeless surge of monsters. She pried it off a hand with no body before raising it high in the air and hacking into the next line of foes.

"Not far enough for some more fun with these fellas!" Bando slammed the back of his fist into two zombies, licking the undead blood from his lips as it splashed across his face. He felt stronger as the virus continued weeding it's way through his flesh.

"Are you alright Yuka? I can still carry you if you want?" Kouta laid Yuka down for a moment whilst the others battled the monsters. He had managed to pluck out the barbed spiky ball from her neck.

"Yeah...Just go and help the others, I'll rest here for a while." Yuka smile was faint as she rubbed Kouta's chin.

"No, I'll take you with me, it's fine."

"No, I'll only weigh you guys down. I'll be fend myself with this..." Yuka held a small end of the wooden broom-handle she had used earlier.

Kouta confirmed that there was some good distance between Yuka and the monsters before setting off. "Once I think we have the upper hand, I promise I'll come back for you!" Kouta vowed as he made his way towards the battlefront, equipped with a new gun.

"There's just no end to these guys." The Agent grew frustrated as he continued firing bursts of rounds into the creatures rotting faces.

SPLAT. A female zombie's head burst open just as she was about to bite the Agent. He turned back and noticed the young Diclonius girl on her back.

"You must pay attention, they won't offer you a second chance." Nana broke out of her slumber and joined the fray beside the Agent.

"YAH! TAKE THIS! AND THAT! YOU ZOMBIE BASTARDS!" Arakawa was getting dangerously enthusiastic about the zombie hunt as she drove the axe tip deep into another undead's skull. She didn't discriminate, men, women, former policemen, bakers, office workers, the elderly and disabled. Even a baby zombie hanging like a monkey against a mutant mother's arms. She could see Kakuzawa's face in each and every mangled zombie face. Her motive was clear now. She had to destroy this evil man's legacy and hopefully devise a cure to prevent others from suffering this horrible disease.

"Lucy sliced up some Zombie Chop Suey as she paced her way through the crowd, she could feel herself tiring as she continued unleashing her vectors to the max. She pinched her forehead to numb a small headache, but the crowd quickly filled up the gap she had left herself before.

"Lucy!" Kouta blasted his way through the thick forest of corpses to reunite with the Queen Diclonius.

"Thanks Kouta..." Lucy recovered swiftly, tearing a new path into the wall of dead.

"Agh! Look out Bando!" Mayu had also woken up and was now guiding Bando through the undead abyss as she hang around his shoulders.

"Got it covered kid!" Bando clawed his fingers into a zombies eyes, squeezing grey and white vitreous humour ( the zombie didn't find it funny though!). "HAHA! Who would've thought crushing skulls could be so easy!"

"KYAH!" Mayu cried in pain as a zombie clawed into her back, tearing the back of her clothes.

"Mayu!" Bando called out in what might have sounded like a hint of concern as he rammed his fist deep into the zombies nose.

"I'm sorry Bando...I can't even help you fight..." Mayu whimpered softly as fresh trails of blood streamed down her soft back.

"Don't sweat it, just hang on and I'll take care of 'em for you..." Bando's tone was even more softer now, had he found a reason to fight now? Had he found a reason to keep living? Even he was confusing himself now. But all that he could focus on at the moment was mutilating as many of these brains as possible.

Arakawa was struggling as wave upon wave of red-eyed mutants swarmed towards her, she was struggling to pull out the axe each time it wedged into another creatures skull, the effort was draining her, and now she was cornered from the rest of the group.

"I'm gunna really die this time...and I didn't even get to have a shower..." Arakawa cried to herself as she remain huddlled against a wall. "NO I CAN'T DIE HERE! SOMEBODY PLEASE SAVE ME!"

Her powerful words must have had an effect since a wall of zombies were soon torn apart limb from limb. The young scientist cheered in glee when she noticed the three Diclonii clones from their last encounter. Initially she thought they were coming to finish her off, but instead they circled around her cocking their heads as they awaited their next order.

"You little girls...you will do what I say?" She shuddered. As a new wave of zombies came crawling ahead she waved her hand towards them and gave her orders to the clones. "MOW 'EM ALL DOWN!"

…

Mowing down the zombie hordes was becoming more difficult than it first seemed. They had only progressed another few hundred meres down a block. Kouta spotted something in a corner street and smiled when he came up with an effective plan. "Lucy, Nana, please cover me for a minute."

"Of course!" Lucy and Nana faced each other's backs as they sliced apart the oncoming fiends. Kouta ducked into the dark street and smashed into something. After some gruelling seconds a pair of bright lets shone from the street, almost blinding the two Diclonii. The growling purr of an engine could also be heard.

"QUICK GET IN!" Kouta waved his two Diclonii into the vehicle: a conveniently parked minibus with an extra deadly set of bull-bars at the front

"Amazing!" Nana beamed. "Now they don't stand a chance!"

Kouta blared the horn to the remainder of the group as they rushed towards Kouta's great big steal.

"So you seem to have a few five-fingered tricks up your sleeve as well boy." The Agent remarked as he slid into the back of the bus. Kouta slammed on the accelerator and rammed through any undead creatures which blocked his path.

He found Bando punching his way through a group of zombies with an injured Mayu hanging on his shoulders."Quick Bando, this will be easier."

Bando whirled around and was about to jump in when he paused. "Go on Mayu..." He faced back to the vehicle so he could drop the young girl inside.

"But what about you Bando?" Mayu cried. "You can't stay out here or you'll-"

"ACK..ACK..." Bando suddenly coughed up thick tarry blood. He knew his hours were up. "Sorry kid, but I'm done for. I'll hold em off for a while and you guys make a break for it."

"Bando no! We need you!" Kouta tried to talk him out of his self sacrifice.

"I've done my bit for you blokes, but I'm sure you'll make it. Not me though...If I stay any longer..." Bando suddenly hunched over as his flesh began flaring purple. His eyes were showing slight glows of the diseases final stage. "Whilst I still have my own will, I wanna take out as many more of these bastards as possible."

"WAIT FOR ME!" A loud female voice made it's way towards the bus. Arakawa waved her hands comically as she was followed by three identically masked Diclonii. Somebody else was hovering over the three girls.

"Yuka!" Kouta was relived to see her again, but soon realised she was not in very good shape.

"We found her lying against a few monsters...I ordered the clones to kill them off but I think she might have been..."

"It's alright...Here you better drive." Kouta handed the wheel over to the Agent who was ready to go. The Three clones hung off the sides of the vehicle whilst Arakawa, Kouta, Yuka and Mayu made their way into the back seats.

"Looks like your ride's already full anyway." Bando remarked as he began to head into the sea of undead.

Mayu reached out for one last desperate call to her big buddy. "WAIT! BANDO!" But the Agent had already slammed on the accelerator as the mighty Bando became just another red flicker in the chorus of night creatures.

The windows were awash with thick pasty zombie blood as they rammed their way through the undead streets. The clone Diclonius also sliced away at any enemies coming from the sides. Lucy was also able to bash her vectors onto the road so they could make tighter corners.

"Yuka, I'm sorry, I promised I would make it back to you but I..."

"No Kouta...Don't blame yourself, you did alright..." Yuka was covered in blood and bite marks. She had virtually been mauled by the inhuman animals.

Kouta was struggling to fight back tears. "Lucy! Please heal Yuka!"

Lucy crouched over the front seat and reached over towards him. "I can't..."

Kouta suddenly lost his emotional grip as he pushed Lucy against the wall of the bus. "YOU HAVE TO HEAL YUKA! SHE CAN'T DIE! SHE JUST CAN'T!"

"Kouta stop it!" Nana tried to calm him from the front seat.

"You ,must be able to heal her, like what you did to Bando! I'm begging you...please Lucy..."

Lucy's pink hair dropped over her saddened eyes. "There's no point...she's lost too much blood...I can only use my vectors to seal wounds..."

Kouta lowered his head as the tears continued raining down his cheek. "Yuka...no...I can't lose her...we were meant to..."

Arakawa placed a comforting hand in the boy's shoulder. "I think it's best if you stay by her side for those last few moments..." She was even struggling to hold back tears herself.

Yuka was breathing slowly. Her chest could be seen rising and falling with each difficult breah. Kouta slid towards her and wrapped his arms aroud her waist. "I'm back Yuka..." Kouta tried to force a teary smile.

Yuka's eyes slowly opened, she appeared drowsy. "Kouta?"

"Yes Yuka I'm right here...I promise you I will not leave your side for another moment, not even when the monsters are scratching at the bones of my legs." Kouta clutched her soft, icy hands.

"Kouta...You did very well...You're not a coward...You were strong and brave back there...I saw you fighting the whole time...I just wish I could share it with you a little longer..."

"What are you saying Yuka...You're not going anywhere without me..." Kouta laughed behind his sorrow.

"You have to keep fighting, and don't let your heart become possessed by the darkness." Yuka's eyes were slowly closing as her own tears ran dry.

"Yuka please don't go! I have no reason to fight without you..." Kouta embraced her tightly as if holding her soul in place, not letting it be taken by the next world.

"Kouta, please do just one more thing for me..." Yuka whispered as her body became colder.

"Anything Yuka...I'll do anything you want from now on...I'll do all the chores when we built our new home and I'll treat you with love and respect and I'll never talk back or question your actions."

Kouta could feel her chest pounding as she tried to force a weak chuckle. "No nothing like that...here's what I want you to do..." She lifted her hands and drew Kouta closer so she could utter her final request.

"Please *****"

"Yuka..." Kouta was shocked by her words but then nodded softly. "Of course..."

Yuka formed a weak smile as she brushed back strands of Kouta's black hair. "Thank you so much...Now I can let you take care of everything from now on..." Her hand slid down Kouta's cheek as she closed her eyes and made her departure from this world...Kouta's World...

…

The others were long gone...the town was being swamped with death's reign. Bando was well and truly alone, against an entire army of fanged demons. His own body was now on the ravages of becoming one of their kind. A mere mindless slave to the Queen Bee. Somehow though, through all the hours of bashing, shooting, crushing, slicing, scorching and butchering zombies, he had fought back his own inner demon from taking over. His strong body and mind was able to hold back the virus all this time, but now his will was getting well and truly tired...Soon he would join the creatures of the endless night.

The zombies circled around him with an odd curiosity. One of them stepped ahead of the others, wearing a familiar set of cream trousers and suit.

Bando snickered in a raspy voice. "**Heh! So you're back for another bite old friend?**" His vision was illuminated in blood coloured light as he stepped forward. "**Well don't just stand there! COME ON PALS! WHO WANTS ANOTHER FRESH PIECE OF THE MIGHTY BANDO!**" With that last declaration he unleashed a menacing howl as he was engulfed by the undead. Bando had well and truly 'died' at that point, but it wasn't going to stop him from raising some hell into the creatures of death. Though undead, Bando could for the first time claim he was well and truly...ALIVE...


	13. Why?

_Chapter 13_

_**Why...?**  
><em>

SOMEWHERE OUT AT SEA...

"How long till we reach the coast commander?"

"We should arrive within 0500 hours."

"Will I set our missiles on target?"

"Not yet, I believe our reserve crew have a preliminary tactic they wish to deploy first."

"And if they are unsuccessful...?"

"Then we have no other option...we will annihilate Kamakura Town..."

…

"Goodbye Yuka..." Kouta sobbed as he brushed her tender hand against his cheek. She appeared angelic in her eternal slumber, as innocent as a child. Kouta soaked her flesh with more tears. He regretted the fact they would not survive this together. Kouta believed he was supposed to stick with her until the bitter end. He had failed his most important task, this should have been the end for his journey as well now.

But Yuka did not for his fight to end with her death. He ran though her final words as he noticed Lucy stitching Mayu's wounds with her invisible hands.

"_Please...Stay by Lucy's side, don't ever separate from her..."_

Kouta kissed Yuka's hand before he crawled across to Lucy. He noticed Mayu whimpering as her painful wounds were being healed.

"Bando...Why did you have to go Bando..."

Kouta wiped back the tears and tried to stay strong for the young girl, caught in the middle of a real life nightmare. "It'll be alright Mayu...Bando will return...I know it."

"Really?" Mayu said with some optimism.

"Of course he will, he is Bando after all!" Kouta smiled gleefully, hiding his sorrow for Yuka. He had to keep the rest of the group together if they were to survive.

"I'm sorry for your loss Kouta." Mayu shed fresh tears for Yuka.

"Thank you Mayu, but it wasn't your fault." Kouta wrapped his arms around Mayu, both sobbed deep into each others shoulder. Having someone to lean on in times of grief really made a difference for both of them.

After a few minutes of tear-filled grief, Lucy brushed a few comforting vectors around Kouta's back. "I'm sorry for what happened to your friend...but I won't let anyone take your life."

Kouta forged a weak smile and faced Lucy. "Yuka was more than a friend, she was a wonderful, bubbly and nurturing person...And although she was my cousin, I still harboured strong feelings for her..." Kouta slammed a fist against the floor. "And I never even had the chance to say how much really loved her!"

Lucy embraced his shattered body with her real arms. It felt much more comforting than the cold touch of her vectors. "I finally understand now..."

Kouta sniffed back his tears. "Huh...?"

"I was jealous of the fact you went to the festival with your female cousin. I never had the privileged of living with a wonderful, nurturing family. Growing up in the orphanage, I envied those in the outside world. Children living happy lives in peaceful homes with a mother and father – I never knew what any of that felt like, so I turned on those who I thought were living in undeserved happiness. When you entered my life, I finally thought I had found someone who understood my pain...That is why I reacted in such a way when I saw you with Yuka at that festival." Lucy was opening up to Kouta for the first time since they ever met. "I never should have taken your sister or father from this world. I had no right to take them away from you..." Lucy was almost on the verge of tears. "Because now I see that losing someone close to your heart...Is just like losing a part of your own body."

Lucy was wrapped in the warm comfort of Kouta's embrace. "No more Lucy...I decided to forgive you the moment we left the Maple Inn. You have already suffered enough in the research facility. Please don't punish yourself any further for my sake."

"Kouta..." Lucy eyes shimmered in the moonlight, as if looking into a rippling reflection in the lake. She felt an uncontrollable sensation inside her chest. Was this what love felt like?

"Lucy I..." Kouta was struck by this powerful internal force as well. Was he drawn to Lucy from the very beginning?

"Hold on passengers, looks like we'll experiencing some short turbulence for the next few blocks." The Agent called out to the others as he ploughed the bus through another mass of walking cadavers.

"Clones take them down from the sides!" Arakawa barked out her commands to the Diclonii as they cut a path through the crowd, cleaning up any large fleshy objects as they brushed past the front of the bus.

"Graow! Graow Graow!" Their painful howls bounced off the walls of the bus as they were run down like mere road-kill.

"Somebody take the wheel for a sec." The Agent was planning to offer some additional fire-power to their drive.

"I'll hold the wheel for you!" The young science aid climbed across until she reached the drivers seat. Nana poked her horned head outside of the front seat, providing support for the three clones and the Age4nt as he fired some heavy rounds into the red-eyed masses.

"Lucy, we should help them as well." Kouta suggested as they made their way towards the windows."

"Come on guy's not much further to go." The Agent spoke words of encouragement as he fired some more armour piercing rounds into the former humans, splattering heads as proficiently as the Diclonius. Even without Bando by their side, this mysterious person would prove to be a valuable substitute.

"I can barely see where I'm driving!" Arakawa cursed as blood and scraps of rotten flesh sprawled its way across the windows. Not even the wipers could remove the worst of the gory mess.

We'll just have to remove the window then." Lucy stepped forward and was about to punch her vectors into the glass when Kouta called her back.

"If you do that the zombies will start pouring through the front."

"Sorry Kouta I wasn't thinking." Lucy smiled briefly before returning to her killer self, slaughtering the undead as they advanced outside.

"I'll guide the way for you." The Agent called back to Arakawa as he began reloading his weapon. They reached a bump of a pile of dead, causing The Agent to drop his gun and slip half his body out of the bus.

"AGH!" He felt several pairs of arms hold his legs inside the trick as threat of his body hung across the undead gauntlet.

Nana griped his lower body with her vectors. "I've got you sir...But you need to haul yourself back in."

"Dammit." The Agent struggled against the heavy momentum of the vehicle as he tried to lift his upper body back inside. Nana's vectors only had limited strength and she was beginning to lose her grip.

Kouta noticed her struggling and called out to Lucy. "You must save him!"

"Got it!" Lucy was about to grab hold with her stronger vectors when a bone crunching sound came from the side of the bus. They felt the Agent's weight drop suddenly as they hauled him back inside. Unfortunately they could only salvage his legs and waist.

"NO!" Kouta watched on in horror as the monsters scavenged upon the Agent's upper half.

Now with her human GPS dead, Arakawa drove blind into the ensuing monster horde. The constant hammering of undead game was taking it's toll on the bus as well. Soon enough the bus had reached it's own demise as Arakawa began losing control of the vehicle, rolling it to it's side.

"AAARRGGHHH!" The passengers were being thrown around. If it wasn't for the Diclonius cushioning their impact, they would have all perished from physical trauma.

The interior was battered into a corkscrew. The passengers were engulfed in darkness as the warped metal blocked out all light, and any hope of escape.

"We're stuck in here! How do we get out?" Arakawa called out to the others.

"If I use my vectors I might hit somebody, I need everyone to head to the rear of the bus." Lucy's voice could be heard by the others.

"Where is the rear?" Nana began crawling in the direction she assumed was the right one.

"Everyone move behind my voice as I call out to you." Lucy's words were barely helpful in the complete darkness but the group slowly progressed behind her.

"Okay now stay down while I do this!" Lucy couldn't be more abrupt than that. Just as she was about to punch her vectors into the metal wall her path was illuminated in what was a red torchlight. "That's good, I can see where I'm hitting now."

"No...please not her..." Lucy turned to face Kouta's greatest fears. Everyone lowly backed away from the source of red light. Another measly drone zombie had appeared inside of the tiny metal chamber. Though she would not prove any stronger than the others they had fought this whole time, killing the undead Yuka would prove to be the most challenging for Kouta.


	14. D Day

_Chapter 14_

_**D(eath)-Day**  
><em>

"Yuka...It's me...Kouta...You won't hurt us right? Yuka?" Kouta hoped that a sliver of Yuka's will might remain inside of her reanimated body. However glaring into those crimson fluorescent orbs and snarling gaping jaws proved to all to horrid, the extent in which Yuka's soul was now possessed by this demonic force.

"I can stop her if I can aim my vectors safely." Lucy brushed past a hesitant Kouta.

"NO! No..." Kouta lowered his voice. "Please...let me free Yuka's soul." Kouta reached for the handgun and held it firmly in two hands, locked tight as if clutching Yuka's very heart.

Everyone slowly backed away from Yuka as Kouta readied himself to pull the trigger and release Yuka from this terrible fate.

Kouta gulped as he tried to hold his gun steady. He was trembling, unable to bring himself to pull the trigger as Yuka edged closer, savouring her appetite as she neared her living cousin.

"Kouta, you must finish her now! There is no other way!" Lucy tried to get through to the young man, caught in a terrible dilemma.

"I-I-I..." Kouta's arms shivered greatly as he continued deciding his actions. "Please forgive me Yuka...I never dreamed that I would ever have to do such a despicable thing to you but..." Yuka's chest pressed against the barrel of the gun as he raked her hands across the air, trying to reach her cousin's face. Kouta clenched his teeth in anguish as he held back Yuka's rampage. She was beyond any point of humanity, screeching and squealing like a rapid mutant animal. Hot saliva lashed across Kouta face as she tried to bite into his flesh, angry at her inability to move past his arms. Kouta scrunched his face as he finally pulled the trigger and ended Yuka's suffering. When he dared open his eyes he saw Yuka's shocked expression. Though her eyes still flickered a weak red glow, her face was as innocent and pristine as her human form knew. Two streams of tears flowed down the corners of her eyes.

"Yuka?" Kouta couldn't believe her expression. It was as if she felt saddened by Kouta's betrayal.

Lucy cautiously interrupted the scene. "Kouta she's not dead yet! You have to shoot for the-"

"GRAAGGGGHHH!" Yuka's monster snapped back into life, scratching trenches across Kouta's face and arms. He fell back, raising his hands defensively, unable to stop Yuka's deadly vengeance. Her jaws were about to sink into Kouta's flesh when she immediately paused, her face hovering a warm breath's distance from Kouta's neck.

Kouta turned to face Yuka, expecting her to transmit her deathly possession onto him. However her face was frozen with death. Had she finally fought back and won over the darkness inside her body? Kouta was startled as droplets of dark blood splashed on Kouta's face. As Kouta looked closely he noticed thick blood trailing down both of Yuka's ears, red tears were beginning to flow down her crimson eyes. She opened her mouth shakily, uttering one final word.'

"So-rry..." Yuka collapsed onto Kouta's body, the life had finally drained from her forever.

"Yu-ka?" Kouta trembled as he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing into her blood spattered clothes.

Kouta felt Lucy's touch. "I'm sorry Kouta, I tried to make her death as humane as possible but..."

"Can you please get us out of here..." There was something different about Kouta's voice this time. It was not a voice of sadness or despair, but a voice of someone who had truly experienced living without joy. Lucy swore it almost seemed much like her own tone.

_What have I done to poor Kouta? I've taken his Sister and Father from him, and now Yuka...Have I robbed him of his last vestige of happiness? Has he suddenly contemplated, he has nothing left...?_

Throwing aside her thoughts for a moment Lucy abruptly answered. "Yes." She focused on the side where Yuka was before and punched a large hole through the top of the frame. Fresh moonlight finally shone over the eight remaining souls. Kouta reached for the hole as if trying to claw at the moon itself.

"Kouta are you alri-"

"C'mon, we have to keep moving right? Let's go before they show up again." Lucy and the others were astonished at Kouta's suddenly assertive tone. As horrible as Yuka's death may have been for the young man, it may have finally unleashed the hidden leader inside of him. Was he experiencing a sudden revelation in the face of a zombie apocalypse? Or was he just holding back his grief through his seemingly stoic mannerisms?

"C'mon clones, form a guard at our rear." Arakawa relayed her orders to the three clones as they jumped out of the wreckage.

The streets were surprisingly deserted, considering they had been swimming with the undead before they crashed. Kouta scanned the area cautiously in case they might have forged a plan for an ambush. But then again these possessed souls were merely drones, controlled by a primary host. Therefore if they had migrated somewhere it would have been dictated by the mutant Diclonius they had fought earlier in the Inn.

"Looks like they've gone away for now...Let's use this chance to break for the shore before they come back." Kouta seemed to have assumed command of the small squadron of apocalypse survivors.

"Kouta please wait..." Lucy rushed over to catch up to the determined boy. "Please don't try and act strong for us, I know you must be hurting right now...So please just take it easy and don't do anything reckless..."

Kouta paused in his steps and turned towards Yuka with a blank face. "This is not like you Lucy. Since when were you the affectionate one?"

Lucy grabbed his shoulders and began to sob. "It is you who has changed Kouta. I just killed your cousin and you're not showing any signs of sadness or aggression towards me."

Kouta smiled quite oddly as he rested his hands on Lucy's shoulders. "I haven't changed at all...I just realise I have a new reason to make it to the very end."

"But without Yuka..." Lucy was tearing herself apart with the guilt of taking another one of Kouta's loved ones. She swore she would not hurt Kouta ever again. She had to atone for her sins ten years ago. But why wasn't she being punished for her actions?

Kouta wrapped his arms around Lucy. His hands felt cold against the exposed flesh in her tattered clothes. "I have something else to protect now, and I won't let these poor creatures take that away from me...I have to be strong now, for Yuka's sake, for everyone's sake. Perhaps even for the sake of humanity as we know it."

"Kouta I..." The black haired boy hushed her with his lips against hers. Lucy was struck by his sudden affection for her but didn't object. This was what she really wanted from the boy that had shaped her entire life. Although Kouta had changed, this might not have been such a bad change for Lucy. She embraced Kouta as the two locked lips for a brief period of eternity.

"Hey lovebirds!" Arakawa interrupted the wonderful moment between human and Diclonius. Flesh sweat was trailing down her face as she pointed towards the horizon.

"It seems our friends haven't left us for good just yet." Kouta remarked as he still held Lucy.

"Yes but they're heading for the shore!" The drones seemed to be walking in structured lines, converging their flanks from each street and advancing at a consistent and uniform pace.

"Well we'll just have to push ahead of them and reach the ocean before they can." Kouta let go of Lucy and started pacing the others. "Lucy, Nana, can you two stay in line with me and carve an opening through the zombies?"

"Of course!" Lucy and Nana both increased their pace to match the determined Kouta's.

"Ms. Arakawa, have two of those clones cover our sides and keep one close to Mayu for protection."

"Uh...I've never commanded them individually but I'll give it a shot." The scientist shouted out the names she remembered "Which one's Alicia? Cynthia? Barbara...?" Tow of the clones perked up their heads in response. "Okay whichever ones you are, I want you to take the left side of our flank and you to take our right." The two clones nodded robotically and darted towards the ends of their flank. "So I'm guessing your Diana?" The clone nodded curtly in response. "Good well at least I can identify with one of you clones...Right Diana stay by my side and don't let Mayu stray too far either." The clone named Diana moved closer to Mayu who was struggling to keep up with the much faster adults of the group.

Kouta, Lucy and Nana had finally reached the procession of undead. Chunks of flesh, organs and bones were thrown high into the air as they ploughed their way through the crowd. The monsters didn't seem bothered by their presence at all and continued crawling forward towards the ocean. Kouta emptied the last of his bullets before he resorted to physical strength to break through their ranks. He may have had the spirit of a warrior at that point but he was nowhere near as strong as Bando or the Agent. Thankfully Lucy was able open a path for him to advance as he made his way through the bloody fountain of undead.

"I can see the ocean! We're almost there!" Kouta beamed with determination to push through these final stubborn ranks of bewildered zombies. If they had bothered trying to turn on the humans they probably would have all consumed them by now. They were essentially getting a free passage to the shore. Still however their behaviour was troubling Kouta, he believed their must be something happening for them to act this way.

"Yes! We're nearly there just a few more..." Kouta was exuberant, he was anticipating arriving at the peaceful blue nirvana. The zombies could not reach them once they had entered the ocean, essentially they would be free from this torment – their struggles would finally pay off.

But as soon as that excitement arrived, it was replaced by a heavy wave of despair.

Kouta stood over the railings overlooking the beach. The zombies were rallying behind them but their was something else approaching the shore. As the sea was encapsulated in a beautiful but deadly red aura.

The first set of lights stepped out of the water and onto the wet sand of Kamakura. There was something white horrifying about their presence as more of them beached themselves onto the shore.

Lucy looked on in a similar sense of despair as the new horde of monsters slowly made their way up the beach. "It seems my former subjects have arrived..."

* * *

><p><span>I was eagerly waiting to get to this point. Now the gang are facing the worst possible kind of monster...a horde of zombie-Diclonii, the bad has really gotten a whole lotta o' worse for them now...Will they be able to survive this new threat? Don't miss the next exciting chapter! <span>


	15. Nacht des Elfen Chors

_Chapter 15_

_**Night of the Elfen Chorus**  
><em>

Fear was something Kouta had become accustomed to over twelve life changing hours. But only at this point did he truly understand the feeling of complete and utter despair. Monsters surrounded his group on both sides. Trapped on a thin strip of shoreline, they would soon be met by the two converging waves of human and Diclonii zombies.

Lucy stepped in front of the others with her arms extended defensively. "Kouta, everyone stay close to me, I'll ward them off for you."

"It's useless Lucy, there's just way too many of them." Kouta was mortified by the sheer scale of horned demons that were making their way up the beach.

"Correct, but I am the one of the original of my kind, I should be stronger than them." Lucy crossed her arms in an "X' then waved an arm forward. "Come on, if I create a path we can break through them!"

"Looks like we have no other choice anyway." Kouta twisted his head and noticed the other zombies were very close on their tail. "We can make it! Follow Lucy's orders and let's give 'em hell!"

"YAHHH!" The eight souls plunged off the seawall and onto the wet sand. The red orbed demons appeared to wear strange veils over their heads as they got a closer look. Various shaped holes were cut through their veils, some with three holes, others with triangle of square shaped holes. Lucy soon found out the horrible purpose of those veils when she ripped the head of her first victim, the thin piece of fabric unrfurled itself as the head fell to the floor, revealing an severely mutated face so terrifying even Lucy felt like retching just gazing upon it.

"What monsters! No doubt those humans at the facility did this!" Lucy regarded the mutated forms with some sympathy, but now they were beyond help, dead and distorted, she would put them out of their misery.

SLICE, CRUNCH, SPLAT, SQUISH. An orchestra of blood and flesh had commenced on the tiny Kamakura beach. The clones whisked up sand and dust as they neared, but their vectors were inferior to the Queens. Nana and the three clones also went vector to vector against these foes.

But killing them was taking longer than normal. Human zombies were a worry in themselves, but were relatively easy to eliminate. However these mutated sub-humans were faster and somewhat smarter than their human adversaries. Lucy was already losing energy from so many earlier fights, she was struggling to connect her invisible blades with these fresh opponents. Sometimes they would dodge or fly around and catch her off guard, nearly ending her reign as monarch. But she kept on fighting, spurred on to protect the one human she ever truly cared about in this miserable zombie-ridden world.

"C'mon clones keep it up, don't go easy on them just because their Diclonius!" Arakawa barked words to her three subordinates. They were smaller and more agile than Lucy, but lacked the stamina and strength in their vectors. One of the three clones pushed too far ahead and found herself cut off from the rest. Diana, get back here! You're too far-"

A rogue vector pierced through her mask. In one second her lustrous pink hair rolled out of the helmet, revealing a smiling young girl, happy to serve her master as if it were her mother. In the next second she was dead – her tiny frame ripped mercilessly to shreds by the older mutants.

"NOOOO!" Arakawa grieved for the loss of one of her clones. Even though she had only been around them for a few hours, she had almost begun to think of them as her very children, children that she may never have the chance to conceive if she didn't make out of this hell.

"Never mind about her! We have to keep moving!" Lucy panted as she continued thrusting her transparent scythe across the flanks of Diclonii, sowing the seeds of death for another few of her kind.

"We won't make it Lucy, there's just too many of them! We may as well hide somewhere and pray they don't detect us."

"That's not possible." Lucy bit her lip in frustration. "We can detect each other's presence to an extent. They'll sense me and Nana and kill you as well."

"AAGGGHHHH!" Kouta could hear Mayu's faint squeals from behind. The other zombies had stepped onto the beach and left only a small opening between the two advancing fronts. An opening that she was desperate to take.

"MAYU!" Kouta reached out as if to grab her but she was already scooting down the beach

"MAYU NOOO!" Nana began to pursue her lost friend, separating herself from the main group.

"This is terrible, Mayu and Nana are both gone and were completely surrounded!" Kouta fell to his knees and dug his fingers deep into the unforgiving sand, reeking with the foul odours of death.

He felt his science aid's warm embrace as she nestled close by. "I'm sorry kid, but it looks like this is the end. But hey we had a fun ride for a while their didn't we?" She giggled weakly, hoping to suppress her tears. "And to think I have to die in this miserable outfit, I haven't even had the chance to shower for three days...Pathetic huh? At a time like this and that's all I can say for my last words." She continued laughing as the tears poured like rain.

"You're a mad scientist all right, but I hope I meet you and Yuka up in heaven shortly." Kouta laughed faintly as well holding his only human companion tight, it was alright if it wasn't Yuka, he just needed to feel the warming touch of a human for the last time.

Lucy and two clones braced themselves, the Night of the Elfen chorus was about to reach it's climax.

…

Mayu;s chest squeezed itself as air sucked into her lungs. Her legs were burning and her chest felt like it could explode any moment. Her clothes were soggy with blood and tears and her hair was a matted mess. She didn't care about making it to some island or even survival anymore. There was only one thing she cared about more than anything or anyone, and she had returned to the very place they had last met.

"Wanta...Wanta...Wanta...I'm coming...I hope your waiting for me Wanta!" She kept calling to herself in ragged breaths. The monsters were now blurred red torches in the distance. She had outpaced them for now. But it wouldn't be long before they found her and Wanta. She just needed to see him one last time, so she could enjoy her final moments of her cruel life with the only creature that ever she ever felt affection from.

Her feet clapped onto the wooden dock, the small shack where they always slept was nearby. Wanta should be waiting for her in their. That's where they always met if they ever parted for a little while. Surely little Wanta would be waiting for her after all this time. That's how much they cared for each other.

"Wanta...I'm back." Mayu called out gingerly into the dark shack. Two tiny beads of red light appeared from the corner. They moved towards Mayu until a shape was revealed: the tiny four legged friend appeared out of the darkness.

"Oh Wanta! You waited for me all this time! I hope those monsters didn't scare you too much." She picked him up, only to feel wet and sticky fur around his body. "Look at you, you've gotten yourself all messy now, we'll have to clean you up in the water." She seemed content and at peace with her little friend. As little Wanta opened his jaws, revealing blade like fangs she smiled weakly and cried out in joy.

"Goodnight Wanta..."

…

Nana rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "Mayu...I'm sorry...I couldn't protect you...I'm sorry Papa...Nana's failed again...Nana's let everyone down.

The Diclonii were upon her in a matter of seconds...Light as red as the depths of hell glared through the multitude of holes in their veils.

_I'm sorry Papa...I won't get to visit you like I promised..._

…

A column of mutants vanished in an instant, their blood curdled entrails swept up by a force more powerful than even Lucy. Kouta and Arakawa released their embrace as they gazed upon a large contraption hovering ten metres away. It could have come straight from a bad science fiction movie. It seemed so surreal, Kouta had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. The mutants and zombies were equally as confused and cautiously made their way towards the alien object. They were met with a giant invisible slap that cleaned off the upper half of their undead forms. The rotten blood splashed into Lucy and the other's face like a jet of high pressured liquid. Whatever this thing was, it packed a powerful punch, and didn't seem to be on the zombies side at least.

Steam rose from the top of the contraption. A lid and two people emerged from the craft. They both wore strange black capes and looked as if they had come from a time far beyond theirs. "You guy's don't appear to be infected with the virus."

Kouta gulped then spoke clearly to the two men on the strange floating device. "No we're not. We're the only ones left..." He averted his gaze as he thought about Yuka "Everyone...they're all..."

"It's alright, just get here and we'll clean this mess up."

…

Nana felt the dozens of invisible swords cut across her arms and legs, tearing her clothes to tiny scraps of fabric. She would have died if not for the giant UFO that saved her. Well that's what she thought it was at first. More of them were making their way on the shore, fifty, maybe sixty. She lost count as she was lost in their amazing sight. Like blue gems rising from the ocean floor.

The one close to her hovered by her side. She stumbled backwards as she was swallowed by it's shadow. "Ahhh! ALIENS!"

A screaming jet of steam shot it's way out of the lower body of the 'UFO' as a panel appeared to lower itself towards Nana. A man with glistening blue eyes stood in the middle of the lift. His shirt was torn and he was covered in bandages. But he stood firm and strong, as if emerging from a bloody war-zone. Nana's fears were taken away as quickly as the monsters were when she finally recognised the figure standing before her.

The man stepped of the panel and wrapped a large black cape around Nana. "I hope they didn't hurt you at all Nana..."


	16. Prelude to Hell

_Chapter 16_

_**Prelude to Hell**  
><em>

The strange crafts continued gliding across the sea and making their way to the shoreline, making zombie and Diclonii killing look like a trivial chore. Kouta and the others were astonished at this amazing technology. _Who had made this stuff and why did it take so damn long to come here!_

"I probably know what you're thinking right now, but here put these on first." A cape-clad man with slick greying hair threw a bunch of fresh clothes to the new arrivals. "You're on board one of the finest pieces of modern Diclonii infrastructure – the Vector Attack Craft."

"Impossible, how were you able to utilise the Diclonii vectors?" Arakawa was in disbelief.

Another of the caped crew members stepped forward. "We harvested the pineal glands of defected Silpelit clones which line the inner chambers of this craft. We use an inverse wave pulse to counter the conventional Diclonii wavelengths."

"You people..." Lucy lowered her head in disgust. "How can you do such cruel things to my kind."

The older man clapped his hands together. "Ah! We have an interesting guest on board, and how has Kakuzawa been treating you lately...Lucy?"

"Why don't you ask him. He's probably crawling amongst the rest of those insects by now...**And so will you pair soon enough...**"

Kouta rushed over and placed his hands over Lucy's shoulder. "I understand your pain, but we can't hurt these people...after all they did save our lives."

Lucy's pupils danced with rage. But Kouta's soothing words seemed to ease the fire inside her heart. "Thank you Kouta, if you weren't here right now I probably would have murdered a lot more people tonight."

"I know you're not a monster Lucy..." Kouta hugged the horned angel softly. She felt calmer with his presence but remained focused on the fleet crew.

"I'm sure you're no better than the rest of Kakuzawa's henchmen. You probably already know all my strengths and weaknesses, is that the only reason you kept me alive?"

"Not at all Lucy." The Fleet Commander lifted a cigarette and lighter from his pocket and sparked his fresh roll of tobacco into life. He took a thick draw and blew into the air. "First of all, we have very little affiliation with Director Kakuzawa, our only commonality is that we both deal with Diclonii."

"So are you all from another research facility?" Arakawa spoke to the strange man.

"Correct. We come from the Saseba facility. We deal specifically with the telekinetic vectors that Diclonii possess, whereas Kakuzawa's facility dealt with the virus itself." He took another draw of the cigarette and gazed out at the window to see the great battle between living and dead unfold. "It seems they have gone too far this time though."

"Why would Kakuzawa wish to create such a horrible virus that does...'this' to people?" Kouta cried out to the Commander.

"At first we at the Saseba facility had not been aware of this strain of vector virus being engineered. Usually we disclose funding and purchases between the two facilities. They seemed to cooperate until just a few days ago." The others murmured uncertainly. "Apparently two Diclonii escaped three days ago – three days before the spread of this highly potent virus." The Commander pointed with his cigarette at the Queen Diclonius. "One of the Diclonius that escaped was Lucy, however an inside source informed us that whilst Lucy's escape seemed to be inadvertent, the other Diclonius' 'escape' was made to look like there had been an accident." He paused again as he took another puff of nicotine. "Basically Kakuzawa interned to release this other Diclonii into the outside world."

"I've encountered this Diclonius on several occasions." Lucy spoke with a blank tone in her voice. "She has powers even I don't possess."

"The one you speak of was Silpelit Number 373, but she was codenamed Eve. Our inside source had obtained a lot of useful data about her and the nature of the virus which she possesses."

"She is the original host right?" Kouta raised a finger to his forehead. "So if we kill her it'll all be over right?"

The two caped men laughed quite oddly, sounding more like a bad cough. "Humph, you watch way too many horror movies young boy, simply killing the original host won't suddenly turn everyone back to normal. But at least it will stop the virus from spreading any further."

Kouta recalled something."I remember watching a news report from Tokyo. The virus had spread that far already."

"Unfortunately you're correct on that point. We discovered the methods of virus transmission from the records Kakuzawa's son left behind in the facility. Whilst the most common method of transmission is from exchange of saliva – hence why bitten victims usually become infected very quickly – there is also another more worrying component of Eve. Her glands can excrete an extremely light pheromone which, once released in the air, can travel for hundreds, if not thousands of kilometres, before falling back to earth, captured in dust or water vapour."

"Then all of Japan could be infected!" Arakawa gasped.

"Almost...The government has managed to quarantine the Southern regions where the air movements haven't travelled as of yet. However when the air movements change then it will be the end for all of us.

"Hang on a minute!" Kouta protested at the dooming situation. "I want to know why we haven't been infected with the virus yet?"

"The man smiled and gazed at Lucy once again. "We have a theory about that. And that is the reason why we decided to keep you alive, Lucy..."

…

"Papa, I'm so glad you're still alive!" Nana hadn't let go of the former member of the Diclonii facility.

"Okay Nana, I think you're going to crush my ribs in a minute." Kurama wheezed out a laugh.

"Ah! Sorry Papa, Nana won't hurt you." Nana wiped away the joyous tears from her eyes with the end of the cape her 'Papa' gave her. "It's terrible...Everyone has turned into these horrible things and I couldn't save Bando or Mayu."

"It's okay Nana. There's not much we can do here anymore."

"Are we going back to the island?" Nana noticed three other crew members inside the craft, they were fully focused on their panels of buttons and switches. One wrong slip and this whole ship might fall apart – at least that's what Nana's innocent mind told her.

"No my dear Nana, why would I ever take you back to that hell." Kuruma held Nana tightly, making sure she would not part from her again.

"Kouta and the others said we're going back to the Island to keep safe from the monsters."

Kuruma brought two of his fingers to the bridge of his nose as if adjusting his glasses, but brought them back down slowly when he felt they were no longer there, a lost relic in an iron castle. "What others? Were there more survivors?"

"MMH!" Nana beamed. "A nice boy named Kouta, a funny lady with glasses, I think her name was Kawakami or something..." Nana looked down at her feet as if she was forgetting someone. "Oh and another Diclonius was with us."

"What?" Kuruma seemed shocked that anyone other than Nana could be trusted within the company of humans. "What was her name?"

"Oh that's easy." Nana smiled innocently as she uttered the name of her Diclonii friend, Kuruma was less than pleased when she said the name, "Lucy..."

…

"I see...So you really think you can pull it off?" Lucy had already understood her role in the desperate bid to save the population.

"We can only hope so...I believe Ms Arakawa can also be of assistance to us, after all you were the professor's assistant correct?"

"That is correct." Arakawa rubbed the side of her arm ashamedly.

"Have you seen any samples or data about the genetic structure of the virus itself?"

"Only glimpses..." Arakawa revealed. "Kakuzawa always kept his most prized projects hidden away from me, but I'm sure their still locked away in the University."

"Then we shall escort you there so you may obtain the specimens for us to further analyse." The Commander threw his finished cigarette to the floor and crushed it with his foot. "Set the coordinates for Kamakura University."

The crew members shook their heads, bemused at what was appearing on the radar. "Commander it seems something is interfering with out navigation system."

"Impossible! These craft were made to overcome any bandwidths." The commander gazed a bright dot appearing in the middle of the radar. "Is that our source of interference?"

"Must be..." the crew tapped a few buttons and managed to shift their direction towards the dot. Everyone faced the front window as they noticed the undead humans and Diclonii regather at the foot of the hill. Dozens of them parted to the sides as if Moses was opening up a path between the undead sea. One rogue figure made her way through the open path, her potent vectors zapping with energy and an intent to slaughter.

"How couldn't we have anticipated this...That she could be capable of such power." The commander stepped back in awe at her seemingly commanding presence among her army of undead.

Lucy made her way towards the exit shaft of the craft. Kouta reached out for her. "Hey Lucy you can't face them all by yourself, even you will-"

"Can you get your guys to make an opening through their ranks, I'll keep that one company while you head off to the University."

"But Lucy-" For the first time, Kouta had truly felt concerned for the welfare of the girl who had changed his life forever. He swore he would protect her. Letting her part like this was failure on his behalf.

"Lucy was already half leaning out of the exit shaft when she looked back at the young boy she had grown fond of and smiled reassuringly. "I don't intend to die tonight...Besides I have some pride to fight over with this one."

Kouta was confused at her optimism. "Pride?"

"This one's personal...After all..." Lucy finished as she lowered the rest of her body out of the shaft. "There can only be one Queen..."

* * *

><p><span>Lucy v<span>s. Eve...The Queen faces her rival...Who will reign supreme over all Diclonii? Can she win for Kouta's sake? And what is her role in stopping the undead virus? Find out in the next exciting chapter!


	17. Queen vs Queen

_Chapter 17_

_**Angel vs. Demon**  
><em>

A chilling breeze shifted the sands of fate along the tiny beach. A tiny strip of land that would sow the fate of humanity. All that stood now between a score of high-tech craft holding the crusaders of humankind and a swarm of red-eyed demons of death, one horned angel with pink hair.

Lucy spoke through an intercom device she picked up on the way out of the craft. "I'll lead the attack, when I break through their formation I want you to rush your Attack Craft through their staggered ranks. Make sure Kouta's craft is well protected, he is the only reason I fight for your kind at this point."

_#"Alright Lucy, I've sent the other units their orders, all we ask is you stay alive until we return with the materials. Don't forget your role is vital in saving humanity as well"#_

"Please don't remind me..." Lucy groaned at the commanders words.

_#"We move on your call, Lucy, good luck!#_

Another voice followed the old officer's response. It was much more appealing than the Commander's

_#"Lucy, you still there..."#_

"Yes Kouta..."

_#"I have one last request before we leave...When we've beaten these bastards to the Earth I want you to come with me somewhere..."_

"Of course I will do that for you Kouta..." Lucy smiled as she heard his nourishing voice.

_#"And don't let her win..."#_ Kouta finished with that as the transmission was cut for the time being.

Lucy lowered the communicator and smiled confidently at her adversaries. "Now that's something I can do without an order..."

…

Kuruma gazed at the lonely Diclonius as she stepped onto the blood-soaked beach. "Lucy...Can we trust she's on our side now?"

Nana rested her chin on her papa's shoulder so she could gaze at the scene unfolding outside the craft. "Lucy is just like me Papa...so you have nothing to worry about."

"Director Kuruma we've received new orders from our senior Operatives to head straight for Kamakura University." One of the pilot's of the Vector Attack Craft spoke to the former Kakuzawa employee.

The once rigid man wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded to the three pilots. "Go ahead, we'll break through their lines and support the commander's unit." He pressed his hands against the curved glass as he gazed out at Lucy; this may well be her last stand. He lowered his head then turned back to his precious Nana. "Please tell me Nana, what is it that you and Lucy both share?"

Nana smiled glowingly. "We both have someone we wish to devote our very existence to."

…

Lucy led the charge, as soon as she ripped the head off her first victim the Attack Craft followed close by, taking the zombie front from her two sides. The craft possessed much larger and more destructive vectors than Lucy and made quick work of the first few rows of undead drones. However they lacked the accuracy and agility of a true Diclonius such as Lucy. Once the undead Diclonii were able to crowd the crafts, they overwhelmed them, ripping the machines apart and slaughtering whatever lived inside. In one minute, three units had already been destroyed. The undead were suffering much greater casualties, but they still possessed far greater numbers than the Crafts. Outnumbered at least 100 to 1, even the great technology of the Saseba Facility would crumble to the deadly force of human and Diclonii zombies.

_#"Commander, Yamada's fleet is down, Hayashi's fleet is down, Hanakawa's fleet is down. We're being swamped!"#_

"Just keep pushing through dammit, we're almost-" Te commander was cut of by the terrified static-riddled screams of Fukuya's unit. "SHIT! Eve's coordinating their movements now, they're far more organised in their offence."

"Sir our right fuel rods have been cut off by the clones." One pilot revealed. "At this rate our progress will-"

"I won't hear another word! Just keep pressing ahead!" The commander grinded his teeth to powder as he watched the war unfold between living and undead.

"Look one of the other unit's is backing us up!" Kouta spotted the Craft out of the right window.

"Kuruma!" The commander brought a microphone to his dry lips. "Thank you for your support Kuruma!"

_#"Is the young boy named Kouta on your Craft?"# _Kuruma responded.

"Yes of course."

_#"Can I speak with him for a moment"#_

The Senior Operative passed the microphone over to the young man. "Hello?"

_#"It seems we all owe you some worthy gratitude. You hold the hope of Japan with your very existence, so please...make sure you don't die..."#_

"Um...Okay..." Kouta responded to the other man's strange words.

_#"We'll guide your craft through the enemy's lines, just follow our lead!"# _Kuruma's craft sliced and diced their way through the zombie masses. Kuruma had survived a whole island full of these creatures, he was determined to make it through this as well.

"Can we still make it with our limited fuel reserves?" The Commander addressed his crew whilst Kouta and Arakawa watched on nervously.

"I think so sir...As long as we avoid any more confrontation." As the man summed up his point several bangs could be heard along the hull of the craft. Eve had noticed some of the craft were fleeing and sent a few of her Diclonii servants to attack.

"KURUMA WE NEED BACKUP!" Before Kuruma could respond Lucy had already made it to their point, she baited the clones away from Kouta's craft and bifurcated three of them with her superior vectors. Eve waved a hand for more of her human drones to attack her from the rear. Lucy took advantage of their formation and allowed the weary Diclonii to release their vectors into the crowd behind her as she dodged their attacks.

"GO LUCY!" Kouta spurred her on as she continued decapitating and eviscerating her zombie foes.

"We can't stay for the big show." The commander instructed his crew to keep moving.

The two Craft had broken through their ranks, however the other units were struggling. Lucy could no longer rely on their support, they were all just waiting to be slaughtered by the clones and drones or whatever they could could all be called. It was Eve's army after all.

"**Impressed Lucy?**" The rogue Diclonius spoke for the first time. Her words were ghastly and wicked, just the way you would expect a creature from the underworld to speak.

"You command mere puppets...It is hardly impressive to control something that has no will of it's own." Lucy responded smoothly.

Eve smiled, revealing her thin stalagmite like teeth. "**I am Queen now...Just accept it...serve me and I may spare your worthless life...**"

Lucy smirked as her underlings crept around her forming a human arena between the two Diclonii. "You are not a Queen...You're merely a servant to the virus Kakuzawa implanted in your genes."

The self-declared Queen snarled in a more beastly fashion and lunged at Lucy with her hands and vectors. Lucy leapt around her lightning strikes and tried to pierce through an opening. Eve was able to counter her vectors with her own.

"**My vectors are far superior to yours Lucy, I can even cut through your vectors." **Eve leapt through the air and smashed her vectors around Lucy's feet, raising hard earth and rock. Lucy was thrown to the side but maintained her footing. She had to find a way past her defensive vectors.

Eve's vectors flared with energy, making them visible, but it wouldn't help counter their extreme power. Lucy could feel the heat radiating around each of her opponent's vectors. If she connected with her body that could be the end of Lucy's reign.

Eve's eyes flared a blindingly bright red as she lunged herself at Lucy again. She ripped up huge troughs of earth as she made her way to the former Queen, sometimes she would even slice up a few of her drones in the process. They were dispensable now, she only had one true barrier to her path to become leader of the Diclonii.

Lucy vanished out her sight for a brief moment, Eve searched for her but instead found herself with a huge hole punching it's way through her abdomen.

"**GGRRAAAGGHHH!**" She roared in pain as Lucy's vectors ripped into her guts and flesh. Her drones ogled half in concern and curiosity, unsure of what to make of their puppet-master's wounds.

"You may have some unique abilities but your body is the same as any other human..." Lucy paced herself, ready to deal the finishing blow.

Eve's shoulders began heaving as she burst into a demonic laughter. "**You think my body is that of mere humans?**" As she spoke the hole in her rotted flesh started sewing itself back together. "**I am living yet not living, dead but alive at once. Such human forces don't apply to me nor my body...**" Eve swept to her left and swiped a clawed hand at Lucy's shoulder, tearing deep into her flesh. Lucy grit her teeth and stepped to the side, but Eve continued through with her first attack and speared her knife like hand deep into her gut. Lucy spewed blood across the puppet-master's mangled, sadistic face.

The new Queen glared at Lucy with contempt as she made her rasped words "**Don't you see Lucy...I am not a Diclonius...I am a Goddess!**"

* * *

><p><span>Can Lucy possibly defeat this monster? Will Kouta and the others make it to the University? Find out in the next thrilling chapter!<span>


	18. Fire

_**Holy crap I can't belive I have left this story to wither away into a dead fic for so long. Well now it appears I have revived it for now with this chapter. I hope I can work on finishing this story pretty soon. So for all those patient fans enjoy the next blood-curdling chapter!**  
><em>

_Chapter 18_

_**Fire...**  
><em>

"It shouldn't be long before we reach the University." The commander observed the ghost town. "Once Ms. Arakawa has obtained the specimens we'll all need to transfer into the other craft if we are to make it back alright."

"Roger." Kouta and Arakawa braced themselves for the descent into the infirmary of knowledge.

One of the pilots craned his head towards the commander. "Sir we'll reach Kamakura University in approximately 2 minutes."

The rugged old man spun on his feet, his long black cape swirling with him. "Excellent..."

"Um...Excuse me sir." Kouta raised a nervous hand, much like his usual self. "But are we just going to go in their unarmed?"

The seemingly stoic commander burst into an awkward laugh and pat the young man's head. "What kind of leader would I be if I had not come prepared." He reached into his cape and produced an odd shaped gun. "As well as the Diclonii Attack Craft, we of the Saseba facility boast some capable combat weaponry as well." He waved around the strange weapon. It resembled a Glock but possessed a wider barrel with spiked ridges along the sides and glowing blue panels around the handle and shaft. "There should be enough for everyone including the pilots."

The other Operative reached into a small hidden draw and offered a gun to Kouta and Arakawa. "What are these things." Arakawa studied the weapon carefully.

"They're customised handguns designed to eliminate Diclonii, but they should work on zombies as well." The operative smirked as he loaded his gun. The blue fluid bubbled inside as he pulled back.

"We're touching down on the Academy's grounds commander." The pilot revealed.

"Splendid." With every human on board armed with the anti-Diclonii armaments they were ready to embark on a mission of life and underneath. "Let's move out!"

…

A deathly silence possessed the vacant halls of the Life Sciences Campus. Kuruma's group reunited with Kouta's as they monitored the rear, ensuring no rogue ambushes would come their way.

It didn't take long for Arakawa to find the preparation rooms where herself and her parter worked closely. There was of course one project that was under wraps – and she was keen to divulge further into his final works.

As she scrambled through the draws and shelves for the Virus Samples Kouta noticed some shadows swaying around the corner of the lab. He peered his head around the corner to get a closer look. He noticed a layout of small metal cages stacked up on rows of five high and four across. Something small and hairy was scurrying around one of the lower cages. The metal warped outwards as if something had broken out of it. A deep chill drove down his spine when he thought he saw two tiny red orbs glaring out of the darkness.

"Damn it has to be around here, where could he have put the damn thing!" Arakawa cursed as she rummaged through more glass vials and agar plates.

Kouta shuffled backwards, eyes still trained on the tiny red lights. "Um Ms. Arakawa, can I ask you something out of curiosity?"

Kuruma picked up the young man's odd behaviour. "What is with you boy, you look like you've seen a ghost or something.

Ignoring Kouta's question Arakawa beamed when she came across a small, code-locked fridge. "Ah of course! It must be in here..."

"Um...Ms. Arakawa..." Kouta heard the faint squeals of something quite alien in nature.

Arakawa didn't appreciate Kouta's interruption. "What is it young man? I'm trying to carefully break into this safe here so it better be important."

Kouta gulped an anguishing mouthful of saliva and spoke. "This University...Do they perform...Animal test's at all?"

Arakawa was suddenly thrown off by his question. "Huh?"

"AAAAGGGHHHHH!" A gut-wrenching scream came from one of the pilots. The beast had sunk its jaws deep into his head, taking him down to the ground and gnawing into his skull. "GET THE FUCKER OFF MEEEE!"

Everyone backed away as the senior operative aimed the high-tech gun. When he pulled the trigger the fiery monster suddenly burst into a thousand tiny, fleshy pieces in what was quite a comical death.

However the pilots fate was no laughing matter. Whimpering softly, he knew his days were numbered. His superior officer knelt down and placed his gun next to his temple. "You've served me well, take care in the next world." With those last words he ended his comrades life in a brain shattering second.

Their was little time for bereavements as more of the undead critters scrambled out of the shadows. Monkeys, rats and all sorts of reptiles, swarming their prey with menacing fangs and blood curdling eyes.

"AGH!" Kouta blasted his special gun into a zombie lizard sending its scales and guts across the room with all the other creatures as they were being culled by the others. "What is this thing anyway?" Kouta shouted between bursts of invisible explosions.

"It projects a short pulse of vector energy directly into the target, erupting the surrounding cells!" The operative explained whilst shooting holes in some mutant monkeys. "Think of it as a vector shotgun, but it only works on living targets so we can't breakthrough by shooting through any walls or doors!"

"That suits me! Let's just get the hell outta here!" Kouta broke though the pack of undead creatures, opening a passage for the others to follow. Arakawa fumbled with the code on the safe as her two clone subordinates formed a wall around her, fending off the beasts.

"Please hurry Ms. Arakawa!" Kouta blasted another vector pulse into a rabid sheep's brain. Another creature which might have once claimed to be a toad hopped onto Kouta's face sticking it's slimy hands into the boys flesh.

"AGGHHH!" Kouta's screams were muffled by amphibian. The toad was quickly punched off though with Nana's invisible attack. "Thanks."

"Nana look out!" Kuruma stepped in front of Nana and kicked away a lemur-zombie. The primate flew across the room and splat itself against the other wall. Kuruma was determined not to lose the one important person left in his world. Protecting Nana was enough to empower him to fight these enemies with his sheer will.

"Almost...almost...almost..." Arakawa bit her tongue as she remained focused on the dials of the safe. She ignored the blood curdling mayhem that was occurring behind her, she had one job to do, the fate of the Earth may as well have rested on her shoulders at that moment.

"BINGO!"

Everyone whooped in exhilaration. Now they just needed to get out of this place with the specimens. Kuruma and the senior operative led their way through the corridors. More animals and human zombies emerged out of the surrounding classrooms, enticed by the smell of a fresh meal.

"DIE!" Kuruma fired a vector blast into a zombies abdomen opening a huge hole though his organs. As the zombie remained stunned, the determined man slammed the gun into its temple, crushing its skull.

"Come on!" One of the two remaining pilots called out. The halls were filling with waves of death. The salvage crew were running straight towards their own despair.

"WAIT!" Kouta's rather assertive tone halted the others for a moment as he looked into another science lab. "Nana can you break open this door?"

"Of course." Nana broke apart the door and half the frame as if peeling the skin of a fruit. Kouta quickly entered the room looking like he had a plan.

"Stop playing games we have to get out of here now!" Kuruma urged from outside.

"I have an idea! But I'll need some cover." Kouta began turning on all the gas taps at each bench as well as the main switch at the front to allow the flammable vapours to leak out of the taps.

"Are you crazy? You wanna kill us all?" Kuruma's scepticism continued.

"No if he can make us pull this off then we'll sent a major blow to them." The Senior Operative said whilst nodding his head in approval. "Good thinking student, who says they don't teach you kids anything in school these days."

Even in times of a zombie apocalypse it seemed there was time left for some light humour. But that time could have been better spend eliminating the said creatures.

"Crap their onto us." Arakawa hugged the box of specimens as the cowered behind her two clones. The undead were now coming from both ends of the hall and only a room's length of a gap remained between the forces of life and death.

"Right, men form a path for the boy, we're going to send these things to kingdom come or die trying." The two pilots and vice-operative charged forward, vaporising their opponents with great proficiency. Kouta weaved through the openings, taking down a few monsters along the way for good measure. Kouta had Nana follow and break through the next room. He performed the same procedure, turning on all the taps and the main connection at the front. The same process was done along the entire corridor.

"There has to be a faster way..." Kouta travelled downstairs and desperately switched on all the taps for next hall. The others were struggling against the ever encroaching hordes as they made their way through the entire campus.

Kuruma went ahead and caught up with Kouta, noticing his sole effort. "This school has a hazards storage shed not too far from here. If I can grab some of the containers that should trigger enough of a reaction to destroy this entire building.

"Nana wants to help Papa." Nana rushed to her beloved Papa's side only to be pushed aside.

"No, you must help Kouta break into the rest of the labs. I should be okay with this.

"But how will you break into the shed?" Kouta noticed Kuruma smash into a nearby emergency box and pull out a rather helpful axe.

"Diclonii technology isn't required for all our work." Kuruma might have actually tried to pull a joke for once as the stoic director made his advance towards the supply shed.

Upstairs the Saseba team and Arakawa were being pushed down by a swarm of red eyed demons. Another of the pilots was soon swallowed up by the crowd. The commander waved his hand for the others to make their way downstairs.

"That Kuruma, where's he gone off to now?" The commander vented his frustration by punching a few more holes through the undead ranks.

"That's the last one." Kouta sighed with some relief as he finished the laborious task of turning on all the gas taps, something you would probably face expulsion or even jail time for in ordinary circumstances. But Kouta's rebellious side had shone during this brief window of chaos. "There he is! Holy Mother of God!" Kuruma's definition of grabbing 'some' containers was quite an understatement. In a matter of minutes (maybe longer for Kouta since the adrenaline was making time fly at a much faster rate) Kuruma had broken into the shed, and brought back a cartful of explosive chemicals, all held on a convenient forklift.

"I know if Bando were here right now he'd have some fitting dialogue for this." Kouta noted as the otherwise sophisticated gentleman unloaded the containers on the ground. "There's about 50kg of sodium and 100L of butane and acetone among other things. "Tell the others to get out the building now as the gas should have filled the halls by now.

Kuruma's warning wasn't needed as the remaining research crew burst out of the exit. The zombies were starting to pour out of the exit but they managed to pack themselves so tightly around the ext that they had trapped themselves inside.

Kuruma hacked open one of the barrels of liquid and began pouring it across the outside walls. He left the highly reactive sodium in their containers as he pushed those boxes away from the others.

Kuruma was already feeling the heat before the fireworks were to begin. "Alright preparations are complete. You should all seek shelter in the vector crafts while I figure out how to detonate all of this."

"No Nana won't let you separate from her again." Nana crushed Kuruma's ribs with her colossal Diclonius hug.

"But we have to-" Just as Kuruma was about to explain something, his face contorted into grave shock. When Kuruma showed such a face, it was bound to be something quite shocking indeed. "EVERYONE GET DOWN!"

Kouta's adrenaline which had previously sped time up was now making this next moment drag on for an eternity. The company of now nine huddled together and fell to the deck as a military jeep crashed through the gates and past the group. The vehicle was on a kamikaze mission as it headed for the science block.

BOOM!

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…

"**Hah! You're nothing but a fraud! Now prostrate before you new Queen...Lucy**" Lucy fell to her knees as her body had been ravaged with gashes and holes from Eves attacks.

Lucy spat out some more blood from her battered face. "I'll die before I submit to anyone." Lucy forced herself to her feet when Eve slashed another one of her vectors across Lucy's leg, striking a tendon. Lucy retched a heap of bloody bile to suppress herself from screaming thus preventing herself from giving the depraved girl even more pleasure.

Lucy tried to slice off her limbs but the red eyed demon-child continued in her sadistic laughter. "**You still haven't worked it out yet...I possess the body of a goddess...you cannot defeat me for I am immortal!**" Eve raised her stumpy arms as a fresh set of limbs burst from her body, which caused thick sticky green slime-like blood to splash over Lucy.

"You're delusional, nobody can possibly be immortal. You're just a bio-engineered machine and all machines have vulnerabilities."

Eve began choking Lucy with her invisible hands. "**I will punish you for your insolence. A good subject should know when to keep their mouths shut...Killing you won't satisfy me therefore I shall ensure that you can never disobey me anymore.**"

"What is your purpose of existence?" Lucy retorted through wheezes. "Once you have infected everyone what will you be left to accomplish?" Lucy made herself smirk. "You will truly have an expiry date by then."

"**That matter doesn't concern a Goddess like me...but at least now I can relish in seeing you devour your friend from the mountaintops – was it Kouta I believe?"**

Suddenly Lucy shrieked at the thought of betraying Kouta again. "No I won't allow it!"

Eve smirked a horrid grin, revealing her piranha like canines. "**You really think I'll follow an order like that?" **Eve drew Lucy's neck closer to her fangs, ready to dig into her most anticipated meal since escaping her confines three days ago. She's always known about the Mother of all Diclonii, the one holed away at the lowest confines of the research facility. She despised her for possessing rule over all the other Silpelits despite her inferiority to Eve. Now was to chance to truly claim the throne and subjugate this delusional despot to another mere drone among the ranks of the other weaklings who followed Eve's every command.

"Heh..." Lucy smirked as she faced her rivals rows of salivating fangs. "Looks like there still one left who doesn't follow you're orders..._Eve_-_sama._"

"**What are you-" **Eve was cut off by a loud crunching noise, she felt something crawling its way inside her as if hands were tickling her guts. Before she could respond with anything beyond a high pitched, beastly squeal, her body was literally being zipped open, from her abdomen up to her right shoulder. "**GRREEEEEAAAAAAHHHH!"**

Lucy noticed the fellow Diclonius through the banana-split opening across Eve's body. Though the tiny Diclonius appeared highly emaciated and covered in bandages, she appeared to be strong enough to rival Lucy as well. Her light pink hair was in a mess and the once plump face of a child had now withered but she was otherwise quite a beautiful girl. When she noticed Eve writhing in what might have been a response to pain, the bony child bore a tiny but rather twisted grin. "Tee-hee. Playing with insects is fun!"

* * *

><p><span>Another mysterious Diclonius has made a sudden appearance. Though she seems as depraved as Eve. Can Lucy percieve her as a rogue fighter or a loyal follower to the rightful Queen? Don't miss the next excitiing chapter!<span>


	19. Ice

_Chapter 19_

_**...And Ice...**  
><em>

Kouta felt the burning hot embrace of the flames. The entire building was obliterated in a massive bloom of fire. Charred zombie flesh and burnt rubber embers rained down upon the humans and Diclonii. When he felt his entire body was still in one piece he got back into his feet.

"Nice work clones." Arakawa praised the two Diclonii who had shielded the others from the debris with their vectors.

"Well at least those lot have now been dealt with." The commander deemed it necessary to lift out a cigarette for celebration. The intense radiating heat was enough to light his cigarette. "I just wonder who the hell was crazy enough to drive into that building. They aren't amongst our team."

They were about to find out as a large human shape appeared through the flames like a mirage. The solid-built figure came forward through the inferno revealing his horrifying burns – the kind of flesh-melting, warped and blackened burns which would certainly leave a normal human in agonising pain if not kill them. But Kouta and the others immediately knew that this person no longer bound by the concepts of mere mortality. Though his face was horribly maimed, Kouta, Nana and Arakawa recognised him instantly. Though Bando had been a huge help for Kouta and the others in their fight against the undead, his brute strength and death-defying durability would prove to be a double-edged sword when facing his undead self.

'''''

"**H-H-How dare you...defy me.**" Eve staggered away from the rogue Diclonius. The right side of her body hung loosely down her hips revealing a column of rotted and acidic flesh exposed along her side.

"Tee-Hee, I can't believe I've been missing so much fun!" The tiny girl stepped closer to Eve and drew out several more of her vectors, grabbing Eve's other arm and right leg and pulling them apart.

"**AHHH!"** Eve's cries were possibly due more to frustration at being faced with this unexpected opponent than in fact from pain itself. A creature beyond the conventional realms of life and death shouldn't experience such feelings. Eve was thus caught off guard by this rogue Silpelit and was determined to crush any opposition. She was just another barrier to her ultimate goal.

"**Prepare to face judgement you traitor!**" Eve jabbed her vectors at the girl but she moved aside from each one without much effort. Instead her movements appeared as if she was merely transporting herself away from the vectors whilst maintaining that innocent childish pose of curiosity. "**Dammit you're just another big like Lucy! I am the real queen!"**

"Hehe, I wonder what happens if I do this?" The Diclonii gripped her vectors around Eve's head and twisted it around 180 degrees before ripping it off its bearer. Eve's body slumped to the ground while the red orbs in her eyes dimmed until they were finally extinguished, leaving a large black space in her eyes. "Oh well that wasn't very fun then." The girl threw the head towards Lucy. Eve's head rolled over to Lucy's feet, making a wet sound as it thumped the ground.

Lucy had one look at Eve's frozen expression before facing the killer. "I don't believe I've recognised you anywhere? Are you my ally or enemy?"

The bandaged girl raised a finger to her mouth in confusion. "I don't know what either of those words mean, and I don't care either...I just wanna play some more."

The zombies and undead Diclonii that once surrounded the combatants on Eves orders had now reverted back to their instincts. "GRAOW!"

"You should watch out." Lucy suggested to the girl as a row of veiled Diclonii were about to unleash their attack.

Watch out for what?" Without facing away from Lucy the girl remained still while the heads of all those clones were raised from their bodies, raising a crimson curtain over the child. "You mean those things?"

Lucy was amazed at this girls power at such a young age. Lucy struggled against her undead kin, yet this child made quick work of them as if she was pulling the wings off an insect. She just hoped she could rely on her to fight back the zombie horde.

"There are plenty more of those creatures to play around with behind you." Lucy decided to keep her distance and let this one take care of them. She needed to recover from her wounds. All of the attack crafts that remained fighting on the beach had now been destroyed. Their shells remaining scattered along the beach. Lucy limped over to one of the crafts and peered inside. She discovered some medical supplies and drugs scattered along the floor. She used her vectors to dress some bandages around her arms and legs. She pulled out some stitches and weaved those around the major wound in her abdomen. Using her vectors for such precise tasks was draining even more of her energy. But with Eve out of the picture and another powerful Diclonii joining the fight, she knew she wouldn't need to exert much more energy for the final stages of this fight.

'''''

"Shit, these things aren't working on him." The operative cursed as he discovered the vector blaster was only putting more holes in the decaying beast, but not keeping him down for good.

"This is the worst zombie we could have come across..." Kouta regarded with a sense of doom. Everytime the vector guns punched his body it only slowed him down slightly as he made his foreboding advance.

"What the hell is this guy, the friggin Terminator or something?" The lady scientist offered her angst as she waved for one of her clone subordinates to attack. The Diclonii dashed forward and was about to offer an uppercut with her transparent fists when...

BOOM! The blast of a shotgun burst through her helmet and smashed her face like a watermelon. The clone's thin pink hair swished around her mashed head as she fell the the ground. Unlike zombie Bando, when this one was taken down she never got back up.

"NOO!" Arakawa grieved for the loss of another of the clones. She was about to send the last one out when Kouta grabbed her hand.

"Don't waste her life, we have to get out here." Kouta was actually beginning to take on some leadership in this dire situation.

"We have to use Kuruma's Vector craft, the pilot's should be waiting for us in there?" The Commander led the others into retreat whilst he pulled out his intercom to contact the crew.

"_#Kuruma's unit do you copy#"_

"_#Kuruma's unit come in...I repeat do you copy#"_

The responding noise of static was not very assuring for the others. "Shit!" The Commander threw his communication device to the ground and crushed it with his foot. "Looks like we'll have to salvage what we can from the ship."

BOOM! Another explosive blast from the Undeadinator's shotgun. Large tracts of earth was scooped up in one blast. They all knew what the outcome was if one of those bullets hit their body, and none of them were willing to hang around long enough to finds out.

"This should slow him down." Kuruma picked up a spare barrel and rolled it towards him. Using a proper handgun, he shot the barrel three times until it ignited at the Zombienator's feet. The monster was engulfed in a sea of intense flames. "NOW'S OUR CHANCE!"

Kouta, Nana, Kuruma, Arakawa and her Diclonius and the two Operatives had to enter a hot dash to get out of the University compound and back to Kuruma's Vector Craft. The craft had been torn open by someone and the hub was covered in darkness. The Commander entered with his assistant (at least he still possessed a Vector Blaster). They were followed by Kouta and Nana, with Arakwa and the clone guarding the rear.

"What the hell's happened here?" The commander was overwhelmed by the stench of rotting flesh. Though the room was almost pitch black, the walls glowed with trails of red glitter. A munching sound was the only source of noise coming from the deathly silent room. "Arm's ready..." The Commander's cape was drenched with sweat, with more of it trickling down the side of his blonde hair.

The commander shuffled forward slowly until his feet bumped into something. A leg revealed itself from the darkness,. Several more pairs of legs soon become visible, attached to the bodies of the pilot crew.

"Impossible...how could this happen?" The commander traced his eyes along the leg until he found a pair of bright red lights glaring at him. The lights were responsible for the munching sound and for the deaths of his men. The commander clenched his fist until he reached for his assistant's Vector Blaster). He struggled to hold the blaster steady as he aimed for the red lights. "You killed my men! You sick animal...you deserve to be put down."

The lights hissed at the man and a wet slapping sound indicated that it seemed to have dropped something. The object rolled towards the operatives' feet. Whatever it was it had loose wet straps of hair and pudgy pearl-like eyes. If it was meant to be a head then it could no longer be rendered recognisable with all the chunks of bone and flesh missing.

"Ishikawa..." The commander grit his teeth after witnessing the horrid fate of one of his comrades. "Show yourself monster!"

The lights hissed and snarled even more menacingly than before. It scraped it's claws along the deck of the hub, as it crawled forward. But when the creature emerged from into the light, it must have changed form. It was only a young girl with short black hair. Her clothes had been ripped from below revealing legs which looked as if they had been pickled. Her face resembled that of an innocent child, but her eyes were redder than death itself. She clutched the headless body of a small animal – a dog perhaps.

Nana covered her mouth and cried. "Please no...not you too..."

But it seemed Nana and everyone else had come to realise that the innocent Mayu was not immune from the necromancer's embrace. When the cute little face warped into a blood-curdling demon, and she revealed her goblin like teeth, their fears were ultimately confirmed.

Unfortunately...such a realisation came too late for the commander...

'''''

Lucy and the bandaged Diclonius continued their own version of beach cleaning as the undead ranks seemed to have fallen considerably.

"HAHAHA! I'm having so much fun! Aren't you?" The child Diclonius faced Lucy as she raised the upper bodies off another dozen zombies.

"This isn't fun. This is survival." Lucy responded as she sliced the heads off three mutant Diclonius.

"Aww...Why is big sis' being such a downer?" The Diclonius taunted as she lifted a dozen more zombies of their feet and flung them into the concrete wall, smashing their heads like eggs against a table.

"There should only be a few thousand left by now." Lucy made a rough headcount as she used her vectors to launch of the ground and peer over the crowd.

"Hey once I finish playing with these ones can I play with you next big sis'?" The girl said quite innocently as she butchered another group of undead Diclonii and humans into fun-sized pieces.

Lucy continued to ignore the rogue Diclonius' words. As she peered above the crowd, she could only think of one thing.

_When will you return Kouta? You made a promise...Please don't forget..._

GLURCK. The sound of ripping flesh came from below. The bandaged girl was going to need some more now after discovering she was missing an arm. As sadistic and psychotic this child was, she had one significant weakness compared to her adversary – she was still a mortal.

"UWAAAGGGHHHHH!" The child collapsed to her knees and clutched her missing limb. "I DON'T WANNA PLAY THIS GAME ANYMORE!" Her high pitched weeping would upset any caring mother; and as Queen, Lucy was especially concerned at her vulnerability amongst the undead hordes.

"**Guhuhuhuhu...**" Bone-chilling laughter came from the ground. It didn't seem to be coming from anywhere in particular, the laughter surrounded the air and wrapped around Lucy like a noose. "**You mortal fools, did you really think doing 'that' would end my life?**" The headless corpse of Eve rose back to her feet, her body slowly zipping back its cuts and wounds. "**I transcend above the laws of this world, life and death don't apply with me.**" The body walked over and pickled up her own head, holding it above her neck as the tendons and muscles quickly sewed themselves back together. "**What does a Queen do now, when she's come face-to-face with a Goddess?**"

* * *

><p><span>Indeed, what will Lucy and the other 'mysterious' Diclonius do? The Night of the Elfen Chorus is heading towards its climax so don't the next high-octane chapter!<span>


	20. Frog and Lizard

**You might think this chapters a bit shorter than the others. Well this was going to be the the first half of en even longer chapter, but I was just so keen on updating and I think the pace of this story deserves a few short chapters as well. So I should have the next chapter up very soon. Enjoy!**_  
><em>

_Chapter 20_

_**The Frog and the Lizard**  
><em>

"Commander! Shit I have to-"

"No you can't!" Nana pushed past the other humans and spread her arms. "You can't kill Mayu."

"Get out of the way you filthy Diclonius!" The ageing operative swiped Nana with the back of his fist, making her fall to the ground.

"Geehee!" The petite young child that was once Mayu giggled menacingly as it eyed it's next prey. As further insult to the Commander's right-hand man, she gnawed back down on the commander's throat until his head only remained connected by a mere tendon. Those pale white eyes stared eternally into the survivors. The Operative pulled out a small pistol and pressed the barrel onto Mayu's soft forehead.

"NOOOO!"

"GNAH!"

SPLOSH. One bullet was all it took. Those sweet eyes would never glisten in the sunshine again. As her body flew across the room, strands of her short black hair brushed past Nana's face. Her body finally found its final resting place, sitting against the wall. The inferno in her eyes dulled and returned back to their usual chocolate brown. Her face, remained suspended into one of complete sadness rather than the face of a demon. It was as if the child inside her had died yet again. A single tear ran down her cheek as her head slumped to the side. She would return to the beach and play with Wanta in her eternal paradise.

"WHYYYYYYYY!" Nana screamed to the heavens as she embraced her only friend. She sobbed against Mayu's peaceful face, combing her fingers through Mayu's small head of hair. "Why Mayu? Why did they have to take Mayu? She didn't deserve to die like this...?

Kouta knelt down and rested a hand on the Diclonius' shoulder. "No-one deserved to die like this. Everyone in this entire town is a victim. I'm sorry Nana, but I know how you must feel right now." Nana let go of her fallen friend and hugged Kouta. Both of them clutched each other tightly to warm their devastated hearts.

"Nana is so selfish. I lose a friend, but you lost someone even more important." Nana tried to reconcile with the boy, but she still couldn't stop herself from crying.

"It's okay, I promise we'll end this. We won't let Mayu, Bando, Yuka or anyone else's death be for nothing." Kouta picked her back to her feet then faced the others. "Does your company have any reinforcements?"

The operative lowered his handgun and sighed. "Orders were this place was to be targeted by dawn..."

"But isn't there an exit strategy?" Arakawa came forward.

"There was none you fools!" The operative slammed his fist against the doorway. "We came here on a suicide mission from the very beginning. Our job was to obtain data and hopefully stop Silpelit 373." The old man slammed his fist again until blood trickled down the doorway. "But our whole crew's been wiped out, we've failed. It's over."

Arakawa sighed; Nana continued her sobs; Kuruma adjusted his glasses. Kouta went over and punched the old-fart in the nose.** "You son-of-a-bitch! If you wanna crawl in a hole and wait to die then be my guest!"** Kouta's face was filled with passionate rage, something never displayed by the young man before. "Don't just say it's over now when we're still alive! We fight till the very end! And if you've got the balls to shoot a girl, then why haven't you got what it takes to kill a few more of them?" Yuka would have married Kouta at that point. If Lucy were there right now she would have also been impressed. Maybe Bando would have been amazed if he hadn't become a zombie. Kouta may have transformed the most out of everyone since the zombie epidemic. Yet it not even been 24 hours since the first signs of despair had even reached the sleepy town. Kouta had grown up twenty years in about the same amount of hours.

The slick greying man rubbed his cheek and showed his own astonishment at the boy's strong words. "Y-you're right! Please forgive my rash behaviour." The man spoke as if he were still under Saseba's command. "If we can at least return to Lucy, we might be able take the next step from there."

Kouta smiled and helped the Operative back to his feet. "I'm sorry as well, I've never hit a man before, but it did give me a bit of a rush."

The man chuckled lightly. "Heh, you'll need that, there's still more of these bastards left.

"**Ma-yu?" **A horribly distorted voice came from outside. The humans and two Diclonii were not quite able to rest just yet it seemed. Someone else seemed rather upset at the zombie-child's death. Though half his face had melted to the bone and his body was a mere frame of bones with straps of flesh, charcoal organs and fabric attached – the Zombienator had most certainly come back – and this time it was judgement day for the six of them.

'''''

"Eve! What the hell are you?" Lucy asked the self-proclaimed Goddess as she kept back.

"**Must I keep reminding you Lucy? Perhaps it would just be easier if we finished this.**" The vile bio-weapon spewed acidic saliva from her mouth, splashing the liquid across Lucy's left thigh.

"AGGHH!" The putrid substance ate away the flesh on her leg until it revealed muscle underneath. "I might not be human, but your just a monster, forged by the twisted animals from the facility."

Eve ignored Lucy's taunts and glided across the sand with her vectors. "**Have you ever heard of the story of the frog and the lizard? The frog was once a weak and pathetic creature, low on the food-chain and always getting itself eaten by the lizard. But one day the frog made itself a poison within its glands. Then when the lizard ate from now on it would die. From then on the frog could claim to be superior, with no predators, it kept growing bigger and stronger until it spawned new species, some of them growing to become birds, reptiles and one day even humans. The key to evolution is to never stop improving one's flaws. Our species has watched itself become subjugated by the filthy humans under your rule. Now that I've been spawned, a new generation of creatures has taken over, just like the frog all those many years **ago." She knocked Lucy to the ground with her vectors and lifted her by the chin. "**Don't you understand why inferior species cannot co-exist with their stronger cousins? Because obsolete species are no longer needed.**"

SPLURCH. Eve found more chunks of her body being filled with holes. She turned her attention away from Lucy again. "So you still haven't given up little Silpelit?"

The bandaged Silpelit panted heavily as she clutched her missing arm. She staggered onto her feet and glared at the even greater monster before her. "I don't understand your story, but I do now that your making me bored...We haven't finished our game yet."

Eve cursed but then forced a crude smile. **"Very well then, if your so desperate to return to the earth, then your new Goddess shall gladly grant you that wish.**"

The girl punched more holes into the supposed Adonis. "I know what a God is, those people from the facility reminded me every day, while I lived in that strange place." The girl danced around the sand, kicking some it with her vectors. Eve was blinded by the sand when the girl drove her other arm into Eve's gut.

"**Gurk!**" Eve clapped her hands around her opponent's throat. "**Get your filthy mortal hand out of my body!**"

The girl smirked as she drew her hand out, only to stab another hand through the enemy's chest. "I can smell it in your blood, your not a God, or even a Diclonius, your just an imposter, your blood smells the same as mine and big sister's." She wrenched more rotting guts from the zombie/Diclonii/clone/goddess's chest.

"I knew she could not be a God." Lucy remarked as she observed the battle. "A god is not something that is created by mortals, you're just a freak! Without my DNA you wouldn't have even stood a chance against me."

The other Diclonius kicked her foot to release her hand from Eve's chest cavity once more. "Big Sis is right...And Mariko wants her genes back as well!"


	21. One Last Smile

**This chapters a little longer as it's the second part of what was going to just be one chapter. Anyway enjoy!**_  
><em>

_Chapter 21_

_**Finding Happiness**  
><em>

"Shit he won't stay down!" The Operative continued shooting his vector gun at the beast named Bando. He was behind the others as they began a desperate sprint to return to the beach.

Kuruma briefly stopped to fire back a few rounds as the others gained more space between the monster. "It's no use, we may as well spare these bullets for the final assault."

The operative threw his now useless vector gun at the walking pile of flesh. He pulled back out his handgun and held it between his teeth as he tried reaching into his pockets for more bullets. But multitasking was not this man's speciality and he soon found himself tripping over his cape.

"Ahh...Ahh!" The old man shuffled around trying to get back on his feet. He tried loading a few bullets into the pistol but Bando had managed to seal the gap between them at an alarming rate.

Kuruma carried Nana whilst Arakawa ran alongside her own Diclonii companion. Kouta stopped as he noticed the operative was struggling.

"What are you doing? Don't go back for him he's done for."

"No!" Kouta snapped back. "We can't leave anymore people behind, you can keep running but I'm going back to help him."

Kuruma's glasses became fogged as he lowered his head. "Very well, if you wish to sacrifice yourself so needlessly then be my guest. Just remember why Lucy is fighting on our side, she's only doing all his for you." Kuruma could have continued but he was not wasting time for idle chat. Now the main group would be trimmed to four.

'''''

"Hahaha! They just keep sprouting back!" The Diclonii named Mariko continued her game of plucking the limbs of an insect with Eve as Lucy circled the rear, stabbing her vectors into her gut.

"**You fools don't realise your efforts are useless.**" Eve said as she sealed her wounds again.

"If we cut you into enough pieces your body won't be able to regenerate in time, it's so simple." Lucy concluded as she swiped her vectors across Eve's back and legs. Mariko laughed like an insane demon-child as she hovered over Eve, she rained her horde of vectors down upon Eve, crushing her body with the combined force of them.

"**You pair are really quite a nuisance**." Eve's body had been reduced to a torso with an arm that looked like toothpaste and a head that had been bashed into a pancake. She kept laughing as her head regenerated, looking like a ball of flesh being inflated. "**You have no hope, stop wasting your energy and-**"

SLASH. SLASH. SLASH. Lucy silenced the mutant by chopping her head in three places. "Your army has been reduced to a pithy band of mutants. Once Kouta and the others return with the virus specimens, we will be able to make a vaccine and destroy your pathetic excuse of a pathogen once and for all." Lucy stopped for a moment to clutch her chest, she felt a burning sensation around her torso, but she ignored it and continued. "What will your purpose be for once you have no more drones to command?"

Eve's three head segments laughed in an odd distorted squeak. "**You really think I need these ****rabble by my side? I could have killed everyone in this entire town by myself, I only wanted to make things more fun for you...Lucy**" As her headless body rose her heads continued in their mad laughter as she used her vectors to tear apart a row of her drones behind her. Their rotting blood splashed across the beach like a tsunami of sewage. "**HAHAHA! Don't you see? I no longer need these pathetic ants by my side**." She continued as she mowed down more and wave of confused zombies.

Lucy was too horrified to respond. "Y-you really are a true monster!"

Eve's head managed to fuse back together and she was able to sew it back on her head. "**Now then...are you keen for another round?**"

'''''

The mangled body stretched its arms and bore a wicked scowl which revealed even more bone and flesh. "**Mayu! You pay! BANDO PROTECT MAYU!**"

"AAARRRGGHHH!" The man would have been done for if he had not been picked up by someone from behind. That young man had returned to save him.

"What're you doing? We have to keep running!" Kouta slung the operatives man around his shoulder and tried making a brisk walking pace.

"Why...why did you come back for a useless old fud like myself?"

Kouta smiled quite peacefully at the man when he answered. "Because I made Yuka a promise. You're still human afterall."

The man felt humbled by the boys words but the two of them were falling behind the others, and their pace had been slowed significantly, allowing their worst nightmare to catch up upon them.

"AGH SHIT!" Kouta doubled forward as he felt claws raking across his back. The operative stumbled to the side as the boy lost his grip.

The Operative cursed as he tried to get up. He managed to pull out his pistol and fire a bullet through the Zombienator's almost hollow chest. It managed to knock him to the ground but he and Kouta both knew he was going to get back up very soon. He shouted back to Kouta. "Get out of here boy! My ankles broken...I'm done for!"

Kouta pushed his arms against the ground to try and lift himself back up. "No...I can't bear to let you die as well!"

The Operative forced a hard chuckle as he held back the pain. "Kid, I've been around long enough to know a thing or two about war. This is a war! And the strong must survive and continue fighting! I can see that you have great strength in both your head and heart." The Zombienator was closing in step by painfully thundering step. "You lost someone dear to your heart, I can tell from those ashen eyes. I lost my wife too, fifteen years ago. She was butchered by a Diclonius that escaped a lab, I regretted my inability to protect her ever since. Now I must atone for my sins and help someone else survive."

Kouta wanted to remain strong but hearing this man's story reminded him of Yuka, the tears flowed by themselves. "Thank you, I never even got to find out you or your commander's name, but I'll never forget how you saved us all back on the beach. I promise I won't let you down!"

The operative smiled and gave Kouta his pistol and remaining bullets. "Take these, I won't need them." The man faced the mighty undead creature that was limping forward, gathering distance inch by inch. "As for my name, just know me as that old bloke who fought these zombie bastards to the very end."

Kouta laughed and wiped back more tears. "That's just what Bando would say." And with that Kouta limped on his feet and began his long flight back to the beach.

Bando was now standing over the old man. Unarmed and injured, the man looked as if he was offering a free meal to the beast. But he when he said he'd fight he really meant it. "Okay you tough runt, I'll show you what an old man can do." Instincts took over as the man thrust his arm forward, plunging it into the zombie's abdomen. Bando was even as shocked as an undead slave could possibly be as the old man began punching into his soft rotting guts, ripping out his organs and tearing apart his flesh. "You won't have me without a good fight!" The crazy old man must have already become a zombie as he chewed bit's of burnt flesh off Bando's legs and spat them away. "I'LL AVENGE YOU COMMANDER!"

But Bando was getting fed up with this old man and with one swipe of his arm managed to knock him to the ground. Bando was about to sink his teeth into the man when he showed a devious grin.

"Hehehe! Not just yet pal...We at the Saseba facility have always keep one last trick up our sleeve." The barely conscious man slid open his long cape, revealing a large set of explosives attached around his waist. During Bando's brief confusion the suicidal man had enough time to draw out a cigarette and hang it between his teeth"In the words of an inspirational man I must bid thee farewell..." Bando snarled as he realised his situation. His human opponent lifted up a thin trip wire from his waist and grinned with the cigarette held in place, much like a typical Hollywood bruiser.

"Goodbye...Motherfucker..."

BOOOOOOM!...

BOOOOOOM!...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!...

'''''

Nana felt the heat and shockwaves of the explosion several kilometres away. "We have to go back for Kouta!" Nana continued her desperate pleas as Kuruma carried her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, but when he went back for that man, he wrote his own death-wish." Kuruma said with dead accuracy in his voice.

"But we can't just let him die!" Nana pleaded with her Papa as she bashed her fists against his chest.

"Please forgive me Nana, but we can't stop for anyone anymore." He turned to Arakawa. "I'm correct to assume the vaccine is out of the option now?"

"Without the proper lab and tools I'm afraid so." Arakawa seemed quite disappointed with herself. She would have loved to get back at her depraved mad scientist of a husband if she was able to find a cure for his very own epidemic. "But if we do manage to make it out of here it'll be worth keeping these treasures anyway. We may still have a chance in another time."

"Agreed." Kuruma faced forward again as the water came back into view. "We've made it!" Only a few hundred or so of Eve's undead slaves remained between them and salvation. "Nana, Arakawa, can you..."

Nana and the female scientist both nodded. "Of course." Nana jumped off her Papa and Arakawa waved and order to her last remaining clone soldier. The two Diclonii led the way, easily slicing through the crowd. Lucy should be waiting for them with Eve's head. They would all be free...it would all be over...

'''''

"Hah...Hah...Hah..."

"Hah...Hah...Hah..."

"**Hehehehehehe...**" The dark angel maintained her composure as her two mortal opponents started to wear out.

Lucy panted from exhaustion, suddenly she coughed up dark blood. She gazed at her bloodied hand. _I don't know how much more my body can take...I have to finish this quickly..._

Eve noticed Lucy's signs of degradation. "**You may wield an awesome power with those vectors, but your greatest weakness is your feeble human body. Soon enough your body will melt from the growing entropy.**"

Lucy wiped the trail of blood from her mouth. "Don't worry, Kouta and the others will be back soon enough, then we can leave you here to be vaporised by the military warheads."

Eve laughed mockingly. "**Hah! And you really believe your human friends will return alive?**"

Lucy didn't show any signs of concern for Kouta when she said those words. She just had to believe in Kouta, and make sure he;d live up to that promise he made with Yuka during her final moments of humanity. Mariko used their conversation as an opportunity and started cutting off Eve's limbs again. Eve jabbed back with her multitude of arms but Mariko dodged them all, gliding around them with her own invisible jet propulsion. "I'm sick of playing with you, why won't you stop moving for once?" Mariko went for a more subtle tactic and tried dissecting Eve's head down the middle rather than a clean decapitation.

Lucy rejoiced when she thought of something. "Good idea Mariko, if we can find the gland in her brain responsible for regeneration we may be able to defeat her."

Mariko noticed a portion of the back of the right side of Eves brain which was throbbing a bright red colour. Even for the sadistic infant Diclonii, it was obvious that was the part she was looking for.

But Eve was not going to let them win this one, even with her head split in two. "**DIE!**" She commanded her body from the left side, which meant she sent half the vectors from the right side of her body over towards Mariko. The highly charged vectors sawed their way through Mariko's tiny body, covering her body in large bloody holes.

"GAGH!" Mariko fell to one knee as she tried sending out some of her vectors. Even she couldn't bear the pain any longer. Eve was able to smash them with the sheer energy of her own telekinetic hands. Lucy tried to take out the glowing gland in her brain but Eve was able to send a few more clear spears off to impale into Lucy's gut.

"**It's useless now, I've won, even if you can see my weak spot, you'll never be able to reach it. A Goddess does not bow before any mortal who challenges her. MWAHAHAHA!**"

Mariko could feel the life slowly draining from her body. She cried out for someone, the person she had longed to see once her many years of life in that isolated chamber.

Kuruma's group had broken through the final measly ranks of undead. Kuruma was about to sigh with relief, believing they had a clear path to the ocean. But the beach had been covered in a red sheet, and three pink haired demons stood between the four of them and salvation. Kuruma could at least hope that the one named Lucy was still on their side for now, judging by her stance, she didn't look like she was another of Eve's worker bees. Eve of course was looking worse for wear, but even seemingly mortal injuries weren't affecting her.

Kuruma suddenly gasped when he discovered the third Diclonius on that tiny strip of land. What remained of her tiny body was made up for by her thin but charmingly innocent face. Though he had never met her face to face before, he recognised that mangled child instantly as he slowly opened his arms. "Mariko?"

Mariko turned to the familiar voice, the voice she heard in her tiny cell. The voice she longed for and knew as 'Papa?"

Kuruma leapt over the railing and sank his shoes onto the wet sand, "Yes Mariko it's me Papa..." He spread out his arms like the wings of a Guardian Angel as he swooped down getting closer with each step. "I've returned!"

Though she had been depraved of her family and the basic freedoms of a child her entire life, Mariko could finally feel something warm inside her heart. For the first and last time in her short life, she would feel happiness. "I've been waiting for you...Papa. Did Mariko make you proud?" Her face would remain frozen in that sweet little smile even as her head slipped away from the rest of her body. The unfortunate child would feel the sensation of love, as her short life finally came to a tragic close.

* * *

><p><span>Mariko is the next victim to be slain by Eve's wrath. Can anyone (or anything) stop her now? Don't miss the next dramatic chapter!<span>


	22. Nothing

_Chapter 22_

_**With nothing left to fight for...**  
><em>

"_Look darling! Isn't she just beautiful, she's our beautiful baby daughter! She's a miracle!"_

"_She's a monster! Children don't have horns..."_

…

"_If I kill you now I'll save many others."_

"_STOP IT! Why do keep saying she's a monster? So what if she has horns...She deserves a chance of life just like everyone else."_

"_Honey! Please wake up! I'm sorry just please! Don't Die!"_

…

"_I just cannot bring myself to seeing that monster that is my daughter...Have someone else take over as her guardian..."_

…

"_Papa is that your voice I hear Papa...?"_

_'''''_

"MARIKOOOOOO!" Kuruma cried out her name as his only ever true daughter was slain before he could even embrace her. Her detached head seemed to spiral slowly in an arc across Kuruma's vision – her life essence trailing across the arc, painting the air in death. Mariko would never feel the warm touch of a Father's love, but Kuruma had felt the cold reality of her blood splashing across his pale face.

And once her tiny head fell into the sand, she still appeared smiling, her elegant pink hair draped over her face, sealing her fate from this world forever.

"**What a shame...If she had cooperated I might have made her into a fine servant.**" The mocking voice of true evil had returned. And as if to further shatter Kuruma's heart she toyed with Mariko's headless corpse stretching her limbs and slicing her torso down the middle. "**She should have realised that some toys like to play back.**"

Kuruma almost bit off his lip in anger, his eyes were like a wolves, sharp and glaring full of vengeance. He didn't even have the rationale to draw his gun, instead balling his fists with rage as he paced towards the two-half headed monster. "**Just die...Just die you scum!**" Kuruma bashed his fist into one of Eve's half heads, making it knock back and forth in what would have otherwise been a comical fashion. He kept punching hard into her cranium, crushing bone and bran-matter each time. "**Creatures like you should never exist!**" He clawed into her right-brain hemisphere and proceeded to scoop out it's contents. "**I'll destroy every last shred of your body! No one will ever be allowed to clone you again!**"

"PAPA!" Nana leapt down onto the beach so she could protect him.

Lucy tried to caution the wild man. "Stop it! You don't understand how powerful she is."

Kuruma kept digging out chunks of her brain much like the creatures they had been fighting against all this time. "**For Mariko! I'll end this now!**"

Nana noticed Eve's head's rising into a menacing grin. "PAPA GET AWAY FROM HER NOW!"

Kuruma suddenly found his humanity again for a brief moment, he paused and faced Nana with a sad smile. "It's okay Nana..."

Nana almost reached her Papa, but even with her transparent hands reached out, she couldn't reach him. Eve's vectors converged upon his body. Kuruma appeared to spasm and flailed around as his body was exploding with hundred of blood geysers. Once Eve released her vectors, Kuruma's bloody body slumped to the ground.

Words or sounds wouldn't come from Nana. Instead her tears did all the talking. She walked over and picked up her Papa's ragged body.

Kuruma's eyes opened into tiny slivers of life. "Na...na...I'm...Sorry..."

Nana clutched her Papa close to her chest and sobbed. "No...Nana's sorry. Nana couldn't protect you...Nana's weak..."

Kuruma placed a mangled hand, missing several fingers, through Nana's short pink hair. "No...I was careless in the end...Please...run...and survive for me..."

"Papa...NO!" Nana squeezed her Papa even as his life finally withered away.

"**Miss your Papa? If your desperate to join him I can gladly make that wish for you-**" Eve suddenly paused, as if she were paralysed. She grit her teeth and cursed. "**Dammit! How come I can't use my vectors anymore? What have you done harlot?**"

Nana slowly rose back to her feet, her head lowered with her pink hair covering her shattered face. "No more...I won't let anymore innocent people die because of you...**I'll personally send you to hell!**"

Eve jumped back but was fur cut across more of her body. With her regeneration glad exposed it was becoming difficult to repair her body. Her vectors had been disabled as well, she resorted to her acidic saliva to try and gain some distance from her opponent. But Lucy was now targeting her as well. She could see a third masked Diclonius but she didn't appear to be moving far from the woman in the lab coat. She could use her as a target to outflank her opponents.

"Agghh!" Arakawa cowered as she noticed the mangle of flesh approaching her. Nana tried to block the path but Eve threw a fist at her, sending her several metres away. Suddenly she felt she could use her vectors again. "**Pah! You're little trick caught me by surprise, but now I've seen through your vectors, now these two will be the next to fall**"

Arakawa cowered behind the little Diclonius bodyguard. _So this is how my life ends? I haven't achieved anything...I couldn't save humanity from a zombie apocalypse...And I wreak from sweat and guts – I didn't even get to have one last shower. _"NOOOOOOO!"

GLUSH! Arakawa slowly opened her eyes to check how much of her body had been shredded to tiny pieces. Her entire coat and body was indeed draped in blood, but she had not one scratch on her precious body. She almost wanted to hug herself in joy when she realised she was still in a life-or-death situation. Eve gasped as thousands of tiny lines drew across her body. Those lines soon gushed with rotting blood until her body exploded into a million tiny pieces. Lucy appeared behind the curtain of death and patted her feet into the puddles of mutant blood, stepping on and crushing one of Eve's eyes in the process. Lucy's appearance was rather melancholic for someone who had just beaten Eve. She noticed her right hand slowly separate itself from her forearm, as if her flesh was melted cheese being pulled apart.

"Oh my God your hand!" Arakawa crawled over but Lucy raised a hand.

"Eve is not dead yet. She is just stunned for now. Use this time to escape." Lucy averted her gaze towards the shore, the moon was barely floating over the horizon as dawn was beginning to approach. "I see Kouta didn't make it back with your group."

Arakawa took of her glasses and wiped the blood from her face. "He went back to save someone, he wanted to prove to himself that he could protect others."

"I see..." Lucy looked even more solemn this time perhaps even on the verge of shedding a tear for her fallen love – the one thing that kept her connected to humanity. "I will make sure Eve stays down for good...For Kouta's sake." Lucy carried Nana's unconscious body towards Arakawa. She then picked up Kuruma's corpse and laid it next to Nana. "Take Nana and him with you, at least she'll have the privileged to bury the one she cares about most." Lucy knelt down and gave Arakawa her former hand. "Take this with you. You can preserve the blood and hopefully make the vaccine."

"But what about you?" Arakawa pleaded with the Diclonii Queen. "Your in terrible shape and-"

"I'm beyond repair myself. Soon this body will be the same as Eve's, at least I can make use of this while it lasts." Lucy felt the puddle of eve's blood start fermenting and bubbling again. "Now go. Take shelter in one of the vector crafts and I'll push you out to sea, you should be a safe distance by the time the bombs land."

Arakawa cried as she placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder. She could already feel her hand sinking into Lucy's almost porridge-like flesh. "I hope you can forgive mankind for all the terrible things it has done to you and your kind. And I hope you can feel proud knowing that we're all grateful for your help in this horrid battle!"

Lucy smiled weakly and placed her other hand on Arakawa's shoulder. "I think I can move on now...Kouta fights with me inside my heart."

Arakawa tried to control her tears, she may well have thought of herself now as the saviour of mankind. She had to look somewhat sophisticated through all of this emotion and grief. "Clone! Carry the two bodies and escort us to the Vector craft!" And with those sharp orders Arakawa sent herself away into the shell of Diclonius organs.

Lucy used her vectors to push the body of the craft into the ocean. Once it reached deeper waters she could let go, hoping that at least someone would survive in this miserable war.

Eve's blood had finally coagulated into a form that could possibly qualify as a human. "**That foolish man removed a lot of my brain, but nevermind...A goddess doesn't need to take a human form to prove her power.**"

Lucy's eyes glowed the colour of blood itself. She gathered up a mini typhoon with her vectors. _"__**Now that all the humans are out of the equation...I don't need to hold back! Eve, I guarantee that you will never witness the sun rise!**__"_

* * *

><p><span>The final showdown between Lucy and Eve beckons...Don't miss the next truly epic chapter!<span>_  
><em>


	23. The Angel's Final Requiem

_Chapter 23_

_**The Last Song**  
><em>

"_**Eve...there is a fundamental reason why I'm the Queen of Diclonii...Because I am the original...Those who preceded me were not able to harness their latent power stored in their Diclonii genes. Yet I was the first to unlock this power...**_" Lucy's body radiated with a fiery aura, the sand around her melted and crystallised into glass. "_**There was also a fundamental reason why none of my ancestors used their hidden gift...**_" The tiny crystals of glass soon rose into the air, leaving a small crater which the Queen hovered above. As the air thickened with energy Lucy revealed to Eve... "..._**Because this power could not be handled by the body...That is also why we Diclonii have short lifespans...Because the more we use our vectors, the more our body deteriorates until...**_" Lucy unleashed the bullets of glass at her opponent who managed to sweep past most of them by manipulating her body shape. Eve's body had been reduced to a lump of pasty blood and flesh.

"_**Try with all your might...but your world will soon come to an end too Eve...though your genes have been altered through science, nothing can defy the laws of Physics. Soon that pile of goo you call a body will evaporate..." **_Lucy's own body was beginning to melt away, revealing fat and muscle tissue underneath. But Lucy seemed to glide effortlessly in the air as she threw more glass bullets at the false Goddess.

Eve's form suddenly broke a slit which shaped into a smile. "**Hah! If I am destined to fall, then I will do all within my power to take as many more insects with me!**" Eve's vectors suddenly sky-rocketed until they reached skyscraper lengths. The many dozen of arms were reaching out into the atmosphere, embracing the clouds and raking across nearby towns. Soon the horizon was coloured in crimson fire as Eve raised her hell among the fleeing masses across the region. Eve's smile soon gaped into a truly diabolical laughter as her vectors trickled across the nation, indiscriminately wiping out towns and anyone fortunate enough to feel the Goddesses touch. Claiming over homo sapiens was no longer Eve's plan. She knew her drones had conquered most of Japan, but even she no longer needed them. They were merely fools to be caught in the crossfire. Eve's gooey body soon liquefied even further until only a tuft of pink hair, a red orb-like eye and a small horn remained.

"_**You really have no shame...do you...Child?**_" Lucy's body wasn't in much better shape either. Though her body still maintained a frame of bones and flesh, she didn't have much time left either. She would need to end this now.

'''''

"AGH! What's happening?" Arakawa dared to peer through the window of the vector craft, the sky was bleeding as streams of lightning rod vectors pulsed across the sky like an intense astral stream.

"I think this is the end for all of us..." Nana said solemnly as she gazed outside. The hub of the craft was cold and dark without any power or means of function, the three survivors were essentially huddled in a sheltered raft. "Both of them are fighting to their limits, our species was never meant to fight on this scale...it's just sheer destruction now..."

"Nana..." Arakawa pressed her hand against the foggy window. She could only hope that she would live long enough to see the daylight one last time.

'''''

"**HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME! I HAVE BEEN GRANTED MORE POWER THAN YOU ****COULD EVER POSSIBLY FATHOM! I AM A GODDESS! I AM THE VERY MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS OF THIS RETCHED PLANET! I AM BOTH HEAVEN AND HELL – LIFE AND DEATH! I AM THE VERY BASIS OF EVERYONE AND EVERY ATOM OF THIS UNIVERSE'S EXISTENCE!" **Eve continued her rant as her vectors stretched across the skies even further until they touched China, India, Europe and America...The entire globe was soon embracing the Eve of destruction. Even if people could avoid the Devil's touch, they would soon find their towns and cities plagued with the very virus which Eve's hands carried across oceans and continents. "**DO YOU STILL WISH TO SAVE THE VERY HUMANS WHO HAVE LOCKED YOU UP AND TORTURED YOUR KIND FOR MANY YEARS? WE COULD HAVE WORKED TOGETHER...BUT YOU HAVE BETRAYED YOUR OWN COUSINS...YOUR OWN DAUGHTERS AND ANCESTORS...I AM THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE OF EVOLUTION...THIS PLANET NEEDS TO BE RID OF THESE INFERIOR, MINDLESS CREAUTRES WHO WALK ON TWO LEGS! AND I WILL BRIGN FORTH THIS NEW AGE WITH OR WITHOUT YOUR AID!"**

Lucy's eyes burned with a blinding white light, her legs dripped into sticks of bone and her organs were leaking out of her body like runny noodles. But she persisted in neutralising Eve's vectors with her own power. "_**YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE HEAVEN AND HELL, LIFE AND DEATH AND EVERYTHING THAT MAKES UP THIS PLANET AND UNIVERSE? YET YOUR NOTHING MORE BUT A PUDDLE OF BLOOD...YOU'RE NOT A GOD...YOU'RE A DISEASE...CREATED BY THE VERY PEOPLE YOU DESPISE! HUMANITY MAY HAVE ITS FLAWS, BUT THEY ARE NOT NEARLY AS SELFISH AND EGO-FILLED AS YOURSELF! KOUTA GAVE PURPOSE TO MY LIFE, BUT YOUR ONLY PURPOISE IS THAT OF A DISEASE...TO SPREAD AND SUCK ON THE ESSENSE OF LIFE UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT...AND LIKE ANY DISEASE...THEY SOON EXPIRE...**__"_

Eve's puddle roared in a last bout of defiance. The Goddess would fight the Queen until her last atom of existence evaporated. "**I WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU! I AM ABOVE YOU IN EVERY WAY! KNOW YOUR PLACE AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!"**

Lucy had glided over until she was just above Eve's tiny puddle. The radiation from eve's vectors would have roasted a humans body into a fresh broth of flesh and bone soup. But half of Lucy's body had already vaporised into the atmosphere as she picked up Eve's one remaining horn and played around with it in her hands. Though her vectors had also spanned across the globe in an expansive war against Eve's embrace of destruction, she only needed one small vector to finish this hellish night. With one crunching blow, she broke her final horn into white powder, releasing it's ashes into the ocean.

With her final horn destroyed Eve was no longer able to transmit signals to her vectors. Her astral hands had broken our of control, now they were just wild streak of energy, firing radiation and electricity across the world. Lucy knew her fight with Eve wasn't finished yet, she would need to unleash her last ounce of power to neutralise all of eve's lingering vector waves. It was like trying to stop a lightning bolt from touching the earth with your very hands. But Lucy had to stop Eve's destruction, she knew that is what Kouta would have wanted.

She had poured so much of her energy into neutralising eve that her own body was melting into a barely recoverable pile of fleshy paste. But Lucy's conscience was as whole and as strong as ever before. She poured her heart into every last pulsing vector, until Eve's storm finally eased.

'''''

Arakawa and Nana were dazzled by the streams of light pouring into the atmosphere. "Wow! Is this Lucy's true power?"

Nana smiled as she shed a tear for her fellow Queen. "It's so beautiful, for once she has used something that was made for death and destruction into an embrace of hope and salvation." Nana watched on as Lucy's Angelic embrace soothed the world from Eve's pain, destroying any last shred of the virus in the air and saving whatever remnant of humanity remained from suffering Eve's despair.

Arakawa beamed with joy, cluthing her clone Diclonius as she witnessed Lucy's vaccine spread across the heavens "So this is what the Commander said, he said that Lucy could use the antigens in her blood to quell eve's virus. No scientist could have ever foreseen such a brilliant outcome."

Nana hugged the scientist and sobbed with joy. "That's because this is a miracle! Lucy truly is an angel..."

'''''

Lucy's consciousness smiled as she felt freer with each breath, counting down to her final moments of existence.

_Thank you Kouta, I was able to forgive myself because of you...I was able to use my strength for good because of you...and I can leave this place in peace...thanks to you..._

"LUCY!" But her descent from this world could not proceed before she made that final goodbye. Kouta appeared before her form of hair and bones. The sheer desire to see that boy one last time was the only thing keeping Lucy's form alive. But Kouta appeared as healthy and as happy than before the zombie plague had even arrived. It was like looking back at that innocent, curious child ten years ago. The boy who showed her that humanity did have a good side that was worth protecting, the boy who saved her from herself. The boy she only wished she could spend more time with. Yet her reunion was to last less than the cycle of the sun. But she knew she could move on from this world, and enjoy her freedom with Kouta in an eternal paradise.

"Hey Kouta, thank you..." Kouta saw Lucy's body as being whole, he embraced her one last time as if she were that poor, grief-stricken child he had come across ten years ago. He embraced her as he felt the soothing warmth of her angelic hands. He embraced her, letting go of his horrid memories and latching on to a beacon of hope – hope that humanity could be saved, and a new age would rise...an age of peace and happiness, free of war, disease and misery.

And as the sky was littered with the birds of total war, Kouta continued clutching to Lucy in her final moments of happiness. "I returned in the end didn't I?"

Kouta felt Lucy's soul rest her head against his chest, she sighed and breathed her life into Kouta's heart. "I knew you would keep that promise..."

And even as the bombs bit into every last chunk of Kamakura's earth, Kouta and Lucy remained locked in an everlasting embrace, encased in the burning light of a thousand suns.

* * *

><p><span>The Elfen Chorus has reached the final verse...What kind of fate lies in store for the survivors - if anyone has survived! Please don't miss the final chapter as the Elfen Chorus reaches its Coda!<span>


	24. The Sun Rises

_Final Chapter..._

…

…

…

_~Dear Papa..._

_I hope your feeling well up in heaven right now. Miss Arakawa told me all about the special place where everyone goes after they die. I hope your spending lots of time with Lucy, Mayu, Bando, Yuka and all the others who we've met along the way._

_Nana is doing fine back home. Nana, Miss Arakawa and Mariko stayed inside one of those UFO's while Lucy and the monster had their final battle. The sky had never been so scary and beautiful at the same time. When Nana saw Lucy's hands stretching across the sky I really believed she had become an Angel, spreading her wings across the land to save everyone from the horrible virus._

_But then those people dropped the bombs and the town was covered in red flames...Nana and Miss Arakawa cried so hard as we watched everything disappear. If only there was some other way to stop the virus...Nana is sad that it had to come to this._

_Fortunately we were safe inside the UFO. Everything that happened that day made Nana so very tired in the end. At that point I really wanted to get some rest. The nightmare was finally over._

_After a little spell of sleep we could hear people outside. We crept out of the UFO and noticed one of the large ships waiting for us. They called out to see if there was any survivors and we waved our hands and yelled to draw as much attention as possible._

_I was so happy I started crying again. I cried because something beautiful waited for me outside...The Sun had finally risen over the ocean, I didn't believe I'd ever see the sun again. But watching the orange haze fill the darkness made Nana so very grateful to be alive._

_The men on the ship threw down a rope for us to climb on board. We were so very tired and emotionally exhausted. The men wrapped their towels and coats around us to keep us warm. One of them, a rather scary looking man with dark hair and sharp eyes, walked over to Miss Arakawa and spoke in a deep voice._

"_We're glad to see you Professor Arakawa. We could really use your knowledge to forge a vaccine for the virus."_

_Arakawa turned her gaze towards the bow of the ship. "I believe the vaccine has already been released into the atmosphere."_

"_Impossible! Are you suggesting that Lucy's vectors transmitted the vaccine with her vectors?"_

_Miss Arakawa smiled. "Yes...She truly is an Angel..."_

_The three of us were taken into a comfy bunker near the captain's room. We were able to get some more rest by then. One of the crew popped by with some warm soup and bread. "You guys must be starving!" He said as he put down our trays of soup. I breathed in the warm vapour of the soup before I tucked in. I had never tasted such a delicious meal in my entire life – it wasn't anything like the kind of food they fed us back in the facility._

_As Miss Arakawa slurped up her own soup she couldn't help but notice the other Diclonius who survived along with the two of us. She looked down at her food confused – with her helmet still on her head she probably didn't know how to eat her food._

"_Here let me take care of that for you." Miss Arakawa knelt over and released a few clips. The mask made a whooshing sound as the air blew out of the helmet. When Miss Arakawa lifted her helmet off she was blown away by the sweet little child whose face had been hidden under that mask the whole time. Her eyes were so beautiful, and you would have loved to see her face she looked just like her!_

_It was no surprise to Nana when Miss Arakawa decided to give her a new name: 'Mariko.'_

_Mariko will now be able to live peacefully by Miss Arakawa's side. Together they almost seem like a mother and daughter. I'm glad that she is able to experience the joy of being nurtured by a guardian – much like I had the privilege with Papa. _

_We were yet to realise how much of a miracle Lucy was capable of until we finally returned to the beach the very next day. We all had to wear strange space suits with funny masks so we wouldn't expose ourselves to the radiation. The Captain of the ship said they were going to recover any remains of Eve and Lucy for further research. _

_As we approached the shore we began to notice the tragic destruction that the bombs had unleashed on this peaceful town. Seeing the beach without its golden sparkle was quite heartbreaking. The trees and the buildings had also been flattened into tiny rubble. The mountain which the Maple Inn resided had also been stripped of all its life, the Inn was nowhere to be seen either._

_The people who suffered that terrible illness...their bodies were nothing more than scraps of ash mixed into the sand. The recovery crews jumped into their tiny boats and scanned the shore with strange tools, searching for signs of Lucy and Eve's remains._

_Suddenly as I leant over the edge of the ship I felt something in my heart. It was like I was having two heartbeats at once. Miss Arakawa wrapped her arms around me as I clutched my chest. But then I screamed out to the crew._

"_I HAVE TO GO DOWN THERE! SOMEONE'S STILL ALIVE!"_

"_That's impossible." The Captain came over and disregarded my pleas. "Looks like there's nothing to salvage." He said as he talked into his speaker. "Come on guys, we're leaving this place!"_

"_NOO!" I crashed onto the Captains body tightly holding his jacket. "We can't leave! I sense someone down there! We have to help them!"_

"_Let go of me you filthy Diclonius!" The sharp-eyed captain pushed me to the floor. Miss Arakawa then walked over and slapped the man across his cheek._

"_We're not leaving until we find that body! As the chief scientist on board this vessel it's an order!"_

_The captain rubbed his cheek, then said a swear word as he requested a boat for the three of us._

_When we entered the boat and finally reached the shore I literally dove off the end as I scrambled in a desperate bid to find the source of the heartbeat. I could feel it getting stronger and stronger as I neared it. I dug into the sand with my vectors, sobbing and panting frantically as I hoped that I could still save them. Finally I found the heartbeat! An arm was visible from underneath the piles of sand. I pushed back more sand until I found the man lying on the soft sand underneath. And although his clothes had been burned to crisps and his body was covered in cuts and bruises, he appeared so peaceful as if he were just spelling there. And when I noticed he was holding a tuft of pink hair close to his chest, I finally realised the sheer miracle that Lucy had created._

"_EVERYONE! HE'S ALIVE!" I cried in joy. "KOUTA IS ALIVE!"_

_Soon the spacemen rushed over and lifted Kouta from the beach, they all shared confused and shocked glances at each other. They couldn't understand how a human could survive being at the epicentre of such a blast. But I knew why...It was because Lucy never gave up...Lucy's heart lived on even as her body disappeared._

_Everyone on board was celebrating. They saw Kouta's survival as a symbol of hope...Hope that the zombies could be eliminated and humanity ultimately saved. He was given some medical treatment and checked over for any radiation poisoning. One of the scientists on board had a chat to Arakawa about it. His only possible explanation was that Lucy's vectors had somehow 'shielded' the boy from the nuclear fallout. But even when the scientist continued quarrelling, in the end they all agreed that Kouta was a sheer phenomenon._

_A week later, after the crew had searched and finally destroyed the Island facility, Kouta finally woke up. At first he seemed amnesiac about all of the events from that night, but when he realised that Yuka and Lucy were no longer around, he broke down in tears, ashamed to be alive when they had sacrificed their lives for him. But when I told him that they were poud of him for being so brave throughout the entire ordeal, and that Lucy protected him to the very end, then he seemed to smile a little once more._

"_Thanks Nana...I'm grateful for Lucy, Yuka, Bando, Miss Arakawa and everyone who fought to the very end...Lucy's sacrifice may have saved the world, and I can only continue her legacy by continuing the fight...Because I know that both Lucy and Yuka would like me to remain strong and protect you and Mariko."_

_The next few weeks we came across many other cities and towns, some had been annihilated whilst others had a few survivors holed up against the remaining zombies. Our population grew until the ship became bloated and thriving with life. In a few months, our final destination will be just around the corner: the final major population of humans left in Japan. Thanks to Lucy's power, she was able to hold back most of the air currents which carried the virus, however not everyone could be spared from the virus and the humans are putting up one final resistance against the zombie hordes. I know that with Kouta, Mariko and Miss Arakawa by my side, we cannot lose!_

_So this is all I have to say for now Papa...I decided that I will release your ashes into the ocean, that way I can let go of my grief and allow your body to rest in the tranquillity of the sea. Thank you so very much Papa...For helping Nana survive in that facility, for offering me hope and protecting Nana until the very end..._

_...Goodbye and see you soon..._

_~Nana_

_'''''_

"Hey Nana, so you've finally decided it's time to let your Papa go?" Kouta walked over to the young Diclonius as she rested on the edge of the ship's railing. She held Kuruma's ashes in a small porcelain urn.

Nana's tears flew back across her cheeks as the breeze brushed across her face. "Papa...It's okay for me to move forward right? Please nourish the sea with your compassion." Nana spoke to the remains of her Papa as she poured his ashes over the ship. They blew into a magnificent trail before finally settling into the infinite blue domain.

Nana sobbed as she waved goodbye to her Papa's remains. She held out a ruffled piece of papa as she leant over the railing.

"What's that you got there Nana?" Kouta asked as Nana concealed the paper.

"Oh it's nothing important." Nana laughed off.

The Captain interrupted their conversation. "Hey Kouta! We'll arrive in Kagoshima in under an hour, I suggest you arm yourself up for this one."

"Aye sir!" Kouta responded with a salute. "Well I'll see you inside..." Kouta waved to Nana as he jogged off into the ship. Nana smiled as she wiped the tears away from her face. She held the letter she had written to her Papa to her face before tearing it into tiny shreds.

_I hope you have the chance to read it someday Papa..._ She wished as she released the confetti into the ocean alongside the rest of her horrid memories of the past.

_'''''_

KAGOSHIMA HARBOUR

Though the worst contagions of Eve's virus had been eliminated thanks to Lucy, the remaining zombies had still managed to infect more citizens through salival transfer. Of the four main islands of Japan, Kyushu was the only one which still possessed human life. But as the last outpost for Japanese civilisation, it was also under major threat from the growing zombie population, which had fed off the injured and vulnerable. Now Kouta and the fleet of ships that had travelled across the entire nation, cleaning up the rest of the mainland, were Japan's last bastion of resistance against the hordes of undead.

The town on the Southern Coast of Kyushu had already been mostly taken over by the zombies, since refugees from the main islands had intermingled and spread the virus quicker. Had their been more time to prepare for Eve's Virus, the military could have properly quarantined this place. But now the Fleet's job was merely cleaning up the mess and recovering any survivors that had not already been bitten.

A dense fog cast its way over the shoreline as the ship anchored. Thousands of rows of red flares danced along the coast. The crew raised their weapons and gathered outside.

"Folks are we ready...?"

Kouta tightly gripped the handle of his QCW-05 sub-machine gun as the entire crew roared in enthusiasm for the upcoming battle.

_Yuka...I've seen more death and destruction than you would ever find in movies...But thanks to you and Lucy, I have managed to grow stronger each day...Now I know we can win! One day I will show you the kind of man that I have become._

And as the ramp came down, the Chorus of blood and bullets was about to commence. And Kouta would play a key role in this orchestra...

...This melody was only just beginning...

* * *

><p><strong><span>And tragically, this is where I will leave things. I've had lots of fun writing this story, and is has been really popular, recieving an average of 100+ hits with each update. I have so many stories I've left untouched for so long and now I can focus on finishing a few more works and building on some new ones. By the way, If anyone is considering continuing where this story finishes or doing an similar themed fic, by all means I encourage you to do so...Leave a review if this fic has inspired you to do so and I would be more than happy to follow your story in the near future.<span>**

**[[[THE END]]]**


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